AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. The following is a sensitive article).
Special needs teacher who let off party poppers in the face of an autistic child scared of loud noises is struck off
A special needs teacher has been struck off after letting off two party poppers in the face of an autistic child who was terrified of loud noises.
Tanya Olsen, 35, fired one of the poppers in the classroom at Ty Gwyn special educational needs school in Cardiff - and laughed as the scared pupil tried to run away to a designated 'quiet room'.
The frightened schoolboy was following by a laughing Mrs Olsen who raced after him to let off another popper in his face.
Mrs Olsen admitted a total of eight allegations of misconduct before the Education Workforce Council relating to her time as a class teacher at the school.
Tanya Olsen, 35
Mrs Olsen admitted causing 'emotional distress' to the unnamed child during a celebration at the special school where she taught.
Presenting officer Hannah Eales said: 'Her conduct caused harm and significant upset to the pupil concerned.
'In essence, this is about an experienced teacher who caused emotional distress to vulnerable children in her care.'
Mrs Olsen also admitted pushing the boy in the stomach with her foot when he was disruptive during a school trip and a string of other charges relating to 'particularly vulnerable' children.
The school has 150 pupils aged three to 19 with severe disabilities which mean they cannot be taught in mainstream classes.
The hearing was told she was responsible for 'particularly vulnerable' pupils.
Miss Eales said: 'She had released a party popper next to a pupil with autism, despite knowing that he was scared of loud noises.
'The pupil ran away to a designated 'quiet room' where the teacher followed him and released a second party popper.'
She also laughed after locking a pupil with severe learning difficulties outside a classroom.
The hearing she also said it would be 'funny' for all the other children to put their coats on to pretend to leave while another pupil was outside.
Miss Eales went on to describe how the teacher took her class on a Christmas trip, but did not stop the minibus when a pupil with autism, who could not speak, became agitated and started banging his head against a window.
But Mrs Olsen blamed other colleagues for problems - and she told a teaching assistant: 'You're so incompetent, I can't believe I left you in charge of kids.'
Mrs Olsen admitted a total of eight allegations of misconduct before the Education Workforce Council relating to her time as a class teacher at the school. Mrs Olsen admitted causing 'emotional distress' to the unnamed child during a celebration at the special school where she taught (pictured)
She did not attend the disciplinary committee hearing but admitted all the allegations through her union representative Dylan Rowlands.
Mr Rowlands, of the NUT, said: 'She has taken a hiatus from her teaching career to reflect on whether it is the right profession for her.'
'She is not a lost cause - she can be rehabilitated and I would ask that the committee does not close the door to her in respect of a future return to the teaching profession.'
But a panel of the Education Workforce Council in Cardiff decided to hand Mrs Olsen an indefinite ban from the classroom and strike her off of the teaching register.
Panel chairwoman Jacquie Turnbull said: 'We cannot be satisfied that there is no risk of repetition.
'This behaviour seriously affected the wellbeing of vulnerable pupils. A prohibition order is necessary to protect pupils and uphold public confidence in the teaching profession.'
Although struck off indefinitely, Mrs Olsen will be able to apply for readmission to the teaching register in three years.
SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...stic-child-scared-loud-noises-struck-off.html
Special needs teacher who let off party poppers in the face of an autistic child scared of loud noises is struck off
- Tanya Olsen, 35, fired off one of the poppers in class at Ty Gwyn school in Wales, U.K
- She laughed as the scared pupil tried to run away to designated 'quiet room'
- Mrs Olsen then raced after him to let off another popper in his face
- The teacher admitted eight allegations of misconduct at a teaching panel
A special needs teacher has been struck off after letting off two party poppers in the face of an autistic child who was terrified of loud noises.
Tanya Olsen, 35, fired one of the poppers in the classroom at Ty Gwyn special educational needs school in Cardiff - and laughed as the scared pupil tried to run away to a designated 'quiet room'.
The frightened schoolboy was following by a laughing Mrs Olsen who raced after him to let off another popper in his face.
Mrs Olsen admitted a total of eight allegations of misconduct before the Education Workforce Council relating to her time as a class teacher at the school.
Tanya Olsen, 35
Mrs Olsen admitted causing 'emotional distress' to the unnamed child during a celebration at the special school where she taught.
Presenting officer Hannah Eales said: 'Her conduct caused harm and significant upset to the pupil concerned.
'In essence, this is about an experienced teacher who caused emotional distress to vulnerable children in her care.'
Mrs Olsen also admitted pushing the boy in the stomach with her foot when he was disruptive during a school trip and a string of other charges relating to 'particularly vulnerable' children.
The school has 150 pupils aged three to 19 with severe disabilities which mean they cannot be taught in mainstream classes.
The hearing was told she was responsible for 'particularly vulnerable' pupils.
Miss Eales said: 'She had released a party popper next to a pupil with autism, despite knowing that he was scared of loud noises.
'The pupil ran away to a designated 'quiet room' where the teacher followed him and released a second party popper.'
She also laughed after locking a pupil with severe learning difficulties outside a classroom.
The hearing she also said it would be 'funny' for all the other children to put their coats on to pretend to leave while another pupil was outside.
Miss Eales went on to describe how the teacher took her class on a Christmas trip, but did not stop the minibus when a pupil with autism, who could not speak, became agitated and started banging his head against a window.
But Mrs Olsen blamed other colleagues for problems - and she told a teaching assistant: 'You're so incompetent, I can't believe I left you in charge of kids.'
Mrs Olsen admitted a total of eight allegations of misconduct before the Education Workforce Council relating to her time as a class teacher at the school. Mrs Olsen admitted causing 'emotional distress' to the unnamed child during a celebration at the special school where she taught (pictured)
She did not attend the disciplinary committee hearing but admitted all the allegations through her union representative Dylan Rowlands.
Mr Rowlands, of the NUT, said: 'She has taken a hiatus from her teaching career to reflect on whether it is the right profession for her.'
'She is not a lost cause - she can be rehabilitated and I would ask that the committee does not close the door to her in respect of a future return to the teaching profession.'
But a panel of the Education Workforce Council in Cardiff decided to hand Mrs Olsen an indefinite ban from the classroom and strike her off of the teaching register.
Panel chairwoman Jacquie Turnbull said: 'We cannot be satisfied that there is no risk of repetition.
'This behaviour seriously affected the wellbeing of vulnerable pupils. A prohibition order is necessary to protect pupils and uphold public confidence in the teaching profession.'
Although struck off indefinitely, Mrs Olsen will be able to apply for readmission to the teaching register in three years.
SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...stic-child-scared-loud-noises-struck-off.html
