A music teacher was convicted of assault for holding a pupil upside down to cheer her up but avoided a ban from teaching.
Whitehaven: So, there’s this music teacher, Sean Haythornthwaite, who got into some serious trouble. He was convicted of assault for holding a student upside down by her ankles. He thought it would cheer her up after she was hiding under a table following an argument.
Sean described himself as having a calm demeanor and said he was just trying to make the girl laugh. He claimed she was giggling when he picked her up, and the other kids were laughing with her, not at her. But, of course, a parent caught wind of it and reported him.
After a police investigation, he was found guilty of assault. He said it was a “well intended but poor choice” that ended up ruining his life and career. At the time, he was working at Seascale Primary School and had been a teacher for six years.
During the hearing, a woman who knew him said she was shocked by the news, insisting it was totally out of character for him. Another witness mentioned he seemed really upset and devastated by the whole situation.
Sean explained that he was just trying to take on a parental role to help the child feel better. He admitted he didn’t have much experience working with kids or in a school setting, which might have contributed to his poor judgment.
In the end, the panel decided that while his actions were unacceptable, they didn’t think he meant any harm. They chose not to ban him from teaching, saying it wouldn’t be fair or in the public interest.
