William Garwood, a 60-year-old history teacher at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy in West Yorkshire, has been banned from the profession after making inflammatory remarks about Ukrainians and LGBTQ+ individuals during a Year 11 lesson in October 2023.
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found that Garwood told pupils he was “happy” that Russian President Vladimir Putin was killing “satanic Nazis” in Ukraine, and described Ukrainians as “evil”. He also stated that “gay and transgender people are mentally ill”.
Context of the Comments
The incident occurred when a pupil asked during a history lesson on Nazi Germany: “Are there any just wars?” Garwood answered “Yes” and then elaborated, claiming the world is run by billionaires who created “evil Ukrainians”. Russia has repeatedly alleged that Ukraine’s government is influenced by neo-Nazi groups, a claim rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
The TRA panel concluded that Garwood’s comments amounted to justification of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They noted the remarks were “clearly inappropriate and wholly unrelated to the subject matter of the lesson on the history of Nazi Germany”.
Garwood's Defense
In his evidence, Garwood asserted that he was entitled to his religious belief in Islam and his philosophical belief in anti-Nazism under Section 10 of the Equality Act 2010. He claimed his Islamic stance on transgender issues coincided with “traditional British values”. He denied giving an opinion on gay people, stating that students misinterpreted his position.
Garwood argued that the TRA investigation was a “political reaction” and that his comments reflected “a legitimate difference of opinion”. However, the panel dismissed this, stating that the remarks involved “highly subjective value judgments with no relevance to the curriculum”.
Impact on Students
The panel expressed particular concern about the comments on homosexuality and transgender people, given their potential impact on school-aged children. They noted that the subject is one of “common public discussion and sensitivity” and that Garwood made no attempt to provide balance or explore alternative perspectives.
The TRA found that Garwood’s conduct fell within the scope of discriminatory behaviour. He is banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot apply for the order to be set aside until June 2032.
