Matthew Whale, a former physical education teacher at Easthampstead Park Community School in Bracknell, Berkshire, has been banned from teaching for life following findings of serious professional misconduct. The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel concluded that Whale had developed a “wholly unacceptable” personal relationship with the schoolboy. This was at the same time that he served as principal from 2001 – 2008.
The school only realized Whale’s behavior for the full extent in 2008. They were reporting it within hours to the DfE (Department for Education)! However, it wasn’t until 2022 that the DfE informed the school that Whale’s case remained unresolved. For all the allegations, Whale was still technically allowed to teach until last week’s decision.
When his investigation concluded, Whale was exonerated of all criminal wrongdoing by the TRA. They found that what he did was egregiously unprofessional. The panel found that Whale developed an improper sexual relationship with a female student. He was open about his love by saying to her that he loved her and acted like a parent such as picking her up from school and taking her on dates/social outings, taking her to the movies, restaurants and amusement parks.
Whale resigned from his teaching position in 2008 after being suspended citing these allegations. Unlike some, he didn’t complain about being held accountable for what he had done. This understanding was a huge part of why he left teaching almost 20 years ago.
Whale expressed remorse for the distress he caused. He continued on to say, “I will remain sincerely remorseful for the distress, effect, and damage caused to individuals.” When looking back on his own experience as a teenager, he recounted that, “I didn’t have the emotional maturity to manage the burdens I was being asked to bear at that age.” In conversations afterwards, Whale admitted to the mistakes he made early on. As he wrote in his statement, “I am a very different person from the immature young man that promoted, fostered and otherwise enabled this to happen.”
The TRA, having taken up the case, voted to permanently revoke Whale’s ability to teach. This disciplinary action further underscores the egregiousness of his misconduct and serves as a warning to all educators about the imperative to uphold appropriate boundaries with students.
