– (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
An “exemplary” teacher who demanded “deploy the navy” in a social media post about migrants arriving illegally on small boats, has been barred from the classroom for life. Samuel Everett, a PE teacher at Haughton Academy, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct at a misconduct panel last month.
The 29-year-old made a number of posts on X that were deemed offensive by education chiefs, including saying people should “leave the country” if they didn’t respect Britain’s culture or ways of life. And it has now been confirmed that Mr Everett, who was dismissed from his role in June 2024, has now been barred from the profession for life. The panel heard how Mr Everett’s X account included his name, occupation, and referred to where he lived, although this was different to the location of the school.
Haughton Academy (Image: -)
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The posts were first raised when another teacher at the school, which is run by the Education Village Academy Trust, received an anonymous email expressing concerns.
An investigation was launched, although Mr Everett, who started working there in September 2022, was not suspended during this time and was dismissed in June 2024.
Mr Everett admitted, and had done from the outset of the investigation, that he was responsible for the posts, screenshots of which were provided to the panel.
They included a comment saying “deploy the navy” on a post about migrant crossings by far right group Britain First. He denied knowing the nature of the organisation.
Another post made by Mr Everett stated: “If you don’t respect our laws, culture and way of life you should leave, nobody is forcing you to stay.
“We don’t go to other people’s countries and tell them they’re wrong for how they go about things.”
Another post stated: “…just get rid of the lot of them, if they hate this country so much they should f*** off.”
The message was in response to a post which read: “… we have imported many more who hate the country. The only way we survive is through patriotism and understanding our history.”
The panel found that six allegations against Mr Everett were proven and that he comments were offensive, but did not find any of the posts, which were made between December 2023 and February 2024, to be racist or sexist.
Some allegations of offensive posts were unproven but the panel noted that these were “foolish and flippant” or in “poor taste”.
Migrants aboard a smugglers’ boat (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The panel also heard that the posts were “inconsistent with the ethos and policy of the school” despite being made outside of an educational setting.
Richard Matkin, representing Mr Everett, told the hearing that his client had a previous record of “good service and excellent performance”.
A former headteacher also described Mr Everett as “exemplary” and an “excellent practitioner”.
Mr Matkin said Mr Everett closed his account and deleted the posts and that the “risk of any repetition is very low to non-existent”.
The panel heard he “regretted” past comments, was “disappointed in himself”, and accepted that the posts were “unwise”.
Migrants sit on board a dinghy as they prepare to sail to England (Image: Getty Images)
But it found that the conduct of Mr Everett fell “significantly short of the standards expected of the profession” and described the findings as “serious”.
The panel said his conduct “would be likely to have a negative impact on Mr Everett’s status as a teacher” and may bring the profession into disrepute.
Although his ban is permanent he can make an application for the order to be set aside from March 5, 2028, should he wish to attempt to resume his career.