Fife teacher struck off after assault

At a hearing yesterday (Wednesday) the General Teaching Council for Scotland heard that Joanna Buchanan, who was employed by Fife Council, had waived her rights and had consented to be removed from the professional register.

Members heard the primary teacher – who was not present at proceedings – had been convicted of driving in Edinburgh while nearly four times over the limit in November 2015.

In May last year Buchanan had been sentenced to a community payback order and disqualified from holding a driving licence for a period of 24 months.

In January 2016 she was convicted at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and sentenced to another community payback order after assaulting a male in October 2015 by sitting on his body, seizing hold of his body, repeatedly striking him on the head with her hand, bending back his thumb and seizing him by the hair.

Also of driving while nearly five times the limit in Glenrothes in December 2015, while on bail.

The hearing concluded that “in light of the above it is alleged that [Buchanan’s] fitness to teach is impaired and you are unfit to teach as a result of breaching the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s Code of Professionalism and Conduct.”

Buchanan was struck off the professional register for a period of two years, after which time she will be entitled to re-apply.