A junior school teacher who taught a class while under the influence of the illegal drug ecstasy can return to work, as long as he completes a drug awareness training course.
Matthew Ross was accused of undertaking his duties as a class teacher after swallowing an ecstasy pill the weekend before. On Tuesday, a disciplinary panel found the allegation against Ross, a teacher at Thorpe Greenways Junior School, Southend-on-sea, to be true.
Ross, who had been employed at the Essex school for more than five years, lied to the headteacher when confronted about the incident which happened in November last year. Around the same time, he also posted an "inappropriate comment" on social networking site Qrushr which the General Teaching Council (GTC) ruled had the potential to damage the school's reputation.
The teacher was found to have failed in his duty to safeguard the wellbeing and safety of pupils in his care and was suspended for six months.
"Attending school whilst under the influence of a drug had the potential to seriously affect pupils", the panel ruled.
"Although Mr Ross has admitted what he did was wrong he appears to be principally concerned about the implications for himself rather than others."
The GTC added Ross would have to provide evidence he had "satisfactorily completed" training in drug awareness before being eligible for registration.