Lee Hessey, who served as chief executive officer for The Forge Academy Trust overseeing six primary schools in Nottinghamshire, has been prohibited from teaching indefinitely. The ban follows findings by a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel that Hessey used derogatory language towards parents and expressed a violent wish for education inspectors.
During the period of September 2022 to April 2023, Hessey reportedly sent text messages referring to parents who complained about him as 'scrotes, vermin and pond life,' and a 'low life,' a 'stupid cow,' and a 'bonkio parent.' The TRA panel concluded that such language was inappropriate, discriminatory, and could damage public confidence in the teaching profession.
In messages directed at a colleague, Hessey also stated his hope that Ofsted inspectors would 'go under a f****** lorry in some black ice tomorrow morning' and called them a 'complete set of sh**bags.' The panel deemed these comments 'wholly inappropriate,' 'abusive,' and 'offensive,' noting they were far from the expected standards for a headteacher.
Further messages included a derogatory reference to Muslims with the phrase 'Buckingham Palace will be a lim city soon' and a comment about 'A coloured character. Surprise, surprise.' Hessey also allegedly used the phrase 'Bongo Bongo land,' which the panel identified as a racist expression directed towards Black or African people. Additionally, remarks about 'Tourette shoulder twitching' were found to be mocking a disability.
Hessey became CEO of the trust on September 1, 2016. An initial complaint regarding his conduct was filed in 2023, which also included an allegation concerning his actions toward a pupil while serving as interim headteacher during the 2021-2022 academic year.
The TRA panel found no evidence that Hessey's actions were unintentional or that he was under extreme duress. Although the panel acknowledged that the tone of the messaging group might have been influenced by others or reflected a culture of 'banter,' it emphasized Hessey's responsibility as the most senior figure. "Even if the tone of the messaging group was, at times, encouraged by others or reflected a culture of inappropriate 'banter,' Mr Hessey was the most senior person in the group," the panel stated. "He was the CEO and interim headteacher, and was expected to set the standard. The fact that others did not challenge him did not lessen his own responsibility."
Despite acknowledging Hessey's 'significant improvements' and 'positive contributions' to schools in deprived communities, the panel's recommendation against an indefinite ban was overruled by a senior TRA official. The official determined that a prohibition order was 'proportionate' and served the 'public interest.' Hessey is now banned from teaching in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation, or children's home in England.