Hannah Smith
A teacher sacked for claiming that gay people had the 'DNA of Satan' filmed several YouTube videos promoting anti-LGBTQ+ views while in his classroom, an employment tribunal has heard.
Robert Headley, a Design and Technology teacher at Rokeby School for Boys in Canning Town, London, was sacked in 2019 after he was discovered to have been sharing 'discriminatory views' on YouTube and promoting conspiracy theories to his students.
Last week an employment tribunal dismissed his claim for wrongful dismissal on the grounds that his public statements went against the school's stated values of inclusivity.
Headley, who had been a teacher at the school since 2008, had shared hundreds of videos to YouTube in which he made regular hateful comments against LGBTQ+ people and other groups. In the videos, which were filmed in his classroom, the school logo could clearly be seen, as well as a noticeboard with images of his fellow staff members.
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In one of the videos, Headley described 'what is found in the DNA of Satan, like your LGBT, like your antichrist,' while in another he claimed that 'Jews, Scribes and Pharisees are of the devil'.
The videos were flagged by two deputy head teachers, one of whom told the tribunal that she had found them hurtful as an openly gay woman.
'To see a member of staff saying derogatory, divisive and hateful things about LGBT and Christian community on a public platform distressed, upset and saddened me,' Jo Doyle wrote in a report seen by the tribunal.
'I am comfortable with who I am, but I am more concerned with the effect these views might have on younger members of staff, students and families. There are some very vulnerable boys and young staff who may be exploring their sexuality and questioning it and it is important that they are not judged or made to feel that they are evil.'
The tribunal also heard that Headley had promoted conspiracy theories to his students, telling them during lessons that the Earth was flat and the moon landings had been faked, while asking them to 'keep these discussions confidential', MyLondon reports.
Headley claimed to have been unlawfully dismissed as a result of his religious beliefs, however the tribunal verdict dismissed this argument, stating that his views 'were manifested in a manner entirely inconsistent with [his] position as a senior teacher at a multicultural secondary school'.
'We accept that it would be difficult if not impossible to promote values of plurality and openness to students when it was known that a senior teacher publicly denounced LGBTQ+ people, Jews and Catholics as being evil or the descendants or followers of Satan,' the report concluded.
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