A former teacher at Eton College has been banned from the profession after engaging in disturbing internet searches on his work laptop. The panel found that David Goode, 53, an organist and music teacher at the prestigious Windsor school from 2005 to 2022, conducted “sexually motivated” searches for indecent images of children. His search history included terms like “gay little boys”, “cute Thai boys” and “Algerian gay boys”.
In February 2017, Mr. Goode was cautioned for attempting to access pornography on the school’s IT network, violating the school’s policies. Later, in December 2021, further suspicious searches on his school laptop were flagged by the IT monitoring system, leading to his suspension, arrest by the police, but ultimately no charges for possession of indecent images due to lack of evidence in January 2022.
Despite his resignation in April 2022 before a disciplinary hearing, a professional misconduct panel by the Teaching Regulation Authority found all allegations against Mr. Goode proven, constituting unacceptable professional conduct. As a result, he has been banned indefinitely from teaching in any school in England. The decision maker, David Oatley, emphasized the importance of safeguarding and preventing such risks in the future. Mr. Goode retains the right to appeal the decision.
This case highlights the significance of maintaining professional standards and safeguarding the wellbeing of students in educational institutions. It serves as a reminder of the consequences for individuals who breach ethical boundaries in their professional roles, especially in sensitive environments such as schools.