A maths teacher has been struck off for serious professional incompetence.
The disciplinary panel that investigated Janet Garner said she attracted an “unprecedented” level of complaints from pupils, parents and staff.
Mrs Garner taught at Alva Academy and Alloa Academy between 2003 and 2007 before being sacked. She also had a spell as a supply teacher for Perth and Kinross and taught at St Columba’s High in Perth but was taken off the supply register when she was suspended in Clackmannanshire.
Her case was heard by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Elspeth Croll, who was acting principal maths teacher at Alva Academy, spoke of Mrs Garner’s difficulties with discipline, poor attainment in her classes and unwillingness to co-operate with competency procedures. Head teacher John Meney criticised lack of pace in her teaching and poor classroom climate.
The problems continued after she was transferred to Alloa Academy, where head teacher Ralph Barker found she had difficult relationships with other teachers. He was also worried by her poor timekeeping.
Principal maths teacher Alan Reedie said he was concerned about Mrs Garner’s mathematical competence, including her failure to follow course guidelines and homework policies and keep class records.
Mrs Garner told the hearing that many of the complaints were not investigated properly and her “quiet style” of teaching was mistaken for lack of pace.
Her solicitor claimed both Alloa and Alva academies had failed to follow competency procedures correctly and that Mrs Garner’s ill health had played a part. He also argued that a reference his client received after teaching at St Columba’s demonstrated she was not a risk to pupils.
Members of the GTCS disciplinary sub-committee rejected her argument, saying they had no hesitation in finding “ample credible and reliable evidence” to support the charge of incompetence. They said the evidence showed Mrs Garner was “ineffective in the classroom in relation to both discipline and teaching and learning.”
They went on, “She appeared unable to deliver the curriculum or, to put the matter another way, and in blunt terms, she simply could not teach. She was unable or unwilling to change her teaching methods, approach or attitude in line with advice from colleagues.
“The level of complaint from pupils, parents and staff was, in the view of the sub-committee, unprecedented.”
They ordered Mrs Garner be struck off the official register of teachers and not be allowed to reapply for 12 months.
“Removal from the register is proportionate and necessary because of the nature, extent and severity of Mrs Garner’s departure from the standards set down in the standard for full registration,” the sub-committee said.
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