A female teacher jailed for having sex with a pupil has been banned from the classroom for life by watchdogs who ruled the public 'would rightly be appalled' by her behavior.
Convicted paedophile, Kandice Barber, now 38, was jailed for six years and two months in 2021 after being convicted of grooming a 15-year-old and having sex with him in a field.
Teaching watchdogs have now
revealed that she shamelessly texted the teenager during the fling: 'You
cannot make me blush while I am teaching now, poker face lol.'
Reacting
to the ban, Barber protested her innocence and sent the misconduct
panel a note, saying: 'Despite the convictions I have always proclaimed
my innocence [sic].'
The trial judge blasted the mum of three
as 'beyond despicable' for seducing the boy with topless photos and
explicit messages while teaching him at Princes Risborough School,
Buckinghamshire.
She flirted with the teen sending messages during a school assembly.
The teacher had bombarded the 15-year-old with messages such as 'Do you like boobs or bum?' - and sent him a photo of herself on a bed surrounded by sex toys.
Her shocking behaviour came to light
after a topless picture she had sent her victim was seen by so many
people it ended up on the headteacher's desk.
The supply
teacher from Wendover, Buckinghamshire, even threatened her victim that
she would 'take him down' if he told her bosses what had been going on.
Today she was banned from teaching for life after a damning report on her behaviour by watchdogs.
Susanne
Staab, who chaired the Teaching Regulation Agency hearing, said: 'In
2018, Ms Barber was 33 years old and working as a form tutor and cover
supervisor at the School.
'In 2019, police investigated an allegation that she had groomed a 15-year-old male pupil, had sex with him, and sent him sexual communications.
'The sexual
communications included a video of her engaging in sexual activity, and a
message containing a sexual innuendo sent while they were both in
school, during which Ms Barber referred to teaching him. Ms Barber was
charged with three offences and pleaded not guilty.
'Following
a trial, she was convicted, and on 28 January 2021, she was sentenced
to a total of six years and two months in prison, and made subject to an
indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
'In sentencing her,
the trial judge noted that she had made threats to the child in order to
prevent him from disclosing what had happened, and had sought to
manipulate him.
'The child had become withdrawn and confined himself to his room as a result.
'She
communicated with him in an inappropriate and sexually suggestive
manner during the school day, while in class, sending him a message
saying "You cannot make me blush while I am teaching now, poker face
lol".
'The panel had no doubt that the public would have
perceived Ms Barber as her victim's teacher and that her conduct towards
him constituted a gross breach of trust and abuse of position.
'Her grooming and sexual exploitation of him was followed by threats and manipulation, demonstrating a callous and selfish disregard for her pupil's wellbeing. The public would rightly be appalled by her behaviour.
'Ms Barber denied the allegation on the basis that she maintained her innocence of the offences for which she has been convicted, most recently saying in her response to the notice of proceedings: Despite the convictions I have always proclaimed my innocence. [sic]'
Banning her from the profession for life,
Sarah Buxcey, the Education Secretary, underlined: 'In my judgement, the
lack of evidence of insight or remorse means that there is some risk of
the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future
wellbeing of pupils. I have therefore given this element considerable
weight in reaching my decision.
'The panel decided that the
public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Ms Barber.
Her conduct was so egregious and harmful as to be fundamentally
incompatible with her being allowed to teach in future.'
