Imagine walking into a classroom, only to find your child’s teacher sipping on a can of beer—and not just once, but repeatedly, paired with a mint after every sip. This shocking scenario recently led to a primary school teacher being banned from the profession indefinitely. Steven Ward, who taught at Southwark Primary School in Nottingham, found himself at the center of a scandal after a professional conduct panel concluded he had consumed alcohol in the classroom on multiple occasions, including during school hours in November 2023. But here’s where it gets controversial: Ward denied all allegations, claiming he was the victim of a ‘witch-hunt.’
The panel’s report was unequivocal: Ward is now prohibited from teaching in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation, or children’s home in England. Two witnesses, whose identities were kept anonymous, testified seeing Ward drink from a blue can resembling Brewdog’s Punk IPA. They also alleged he tried to conceal the can in his bag and popped a mint—likely from a tin of Smints—after each sip. One witness claimed Ward took a drink every five minutes, while another observed it happening every 15 minutes. ‘It was unusual,’ one witness noted, ‘because you’d expect teachers to drink from a coffee cup or water bottle.’
And this is the part most people miss: On a separate occasion, a witness reported a ‘strong smell of alcohol’ in a room Ward occupied, describing it as instantly noticeable upon entering. When confronted, Ward admitted there was a ‘realistic possibility’ a can was on his desk but vehemently denied it contained alcohol, insisting, ‘It’s not something I would ever do.’
The panel, however, wasn’t convinced. They highlighted Ward’s ‘lack of insight’ during the hearing, noting he showed no remorse or understanding of how his behavior impacted others. This, they argued, posed a risk of further misconduct. Ward can challenge the ban on January 22, 2029, but until then, his teaching career is on hold.
Is this an isolated incident, or does it reveal a deeper issue in how we monitor teacher conduct? What do you think—was Ward unfairly targeted, or did he cross a line that warranted such severe consequences? Let’s discuss in the comments!
