Teaching boss could be struck off

8:50pm Sunday 14th September 2008

An education chief faces being banned from profession after he was accused of discriminating against a transsexual teacher.

A disciplinary hearing was told that Philip Morgan had refused to give a reference to the employee and referred to the teacher as both “he” and “him”, and “she” and “her”.

Mr Morgan, who was an education, training and employment manager for Brighton and Hove City Council at the time of the alleged offences, appeared before a General Teaching Council for England disciplinary panel in Birmingham charged with unacceptable professional conduct.

The allegations centre around a fax Mr Morgan is accused of sending to employment agency Hays Education Personnel on November 19 2003 when the council was asked for a letter of reference.

In the fax were a series of comments about Miss A, as the teacher was referred to at the hearing, which divulged her sex change.

After hearing the allegations the panel began deliberating its response and adjourned the case.

A date has not yet been set for when they will give its verdict.