A TEACHER who was struck off for sending inappropriate texts and emails to two pupils has been allowed to return to the classroom.
Michael Hendry was deemed unfit to teach after messages he sent to the fifth year students were uncovered.
Hendry called the girls ‘sweetie’, ‘sweetheart’ and ‘sweetpea’ and in one message wrote: “I’ll come up 4u and tickle u out with my feather duster and give u a coaly back to school.”
Another message read: “I know I’m already overstepping the mark in a big way but here’s my number.
“If u want to get together for a coffee or whatever at some point later this week to talk it over do that.”
While a further text said: “I’m having a delightfully manly pint of Guinness.
“What’s ur drink of choice this eve? Vodka, soda and lime by any chance? Mxx”
He was reported to senior staff at John Paul Academy in Glasgow where he had been teaching English in 2013.
Hendry was hauled before the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and struck off in 2015.
He was banned from reapplying to teach for two years but last year he went to the GTCS in a bid to revive his career.
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The disciplinary body has now given him the green-light to return to teaching.
Hendry told a panel he had been tutoring pupils in both English and maths, assisted at a college in Glasgow and also volunteered in the visitor centre at HMP Barlinnie.
He said he regretted messaging the two girls and was ‘ashamed’ of his conduct and had ‘let down’ the pupils and the profession.
In a written ruling, the GTCS said: “The panel was satisfied, given what it has heard from the applicant, that he has developed good insight and has taken real and meaningful steps to remedy his professional practice and understand his past conduct.
“In all these circumstances, the panel concluded that there was a low risk of re-occurrence of the conduct that led to his removal from the register.
“Whilst the original conduct was serious, the panel was confident that a reasonable and well-informed member of the public would not be concerned were the applicant to be permitted to return to professional practice.”
