PE trainer resigns after ‘displaying pupils her underwear’ on faculty rugby journey
A former PE teacher who resigned amid an internal investigation has been called before a disciplinary hearing over allegations including that she showed students her underwear and allowed pupils into her hotel room.
Lowri Williams faces 9 allegations of misconduct (Image: Twitter)
A PE teacher resigned after being called before a disciplinary hearing over allegations she ignored concussion protocol while on a school rugby trip and showed students her underwear.
Lowri Williams, who coached rugby at Llandovery College in Wales, also faced accusations of answering her hotel room door while not fully clothed, asking pupils about their personal relationships, as well as showing them videos of her partying on nights out. The former teacher is also claimed to have encouraged a student to lie to their housemistress about having taken another pupil to a match.
A student named only as Pupil E told the panel that she and two other girls had gone into Ms Williams’ hotel room for around 15 minutes to talk about the tournament because they felt nervous, and were met by their coach sitting in a t-shirt and shorts on the sofa.
According to their testimony, she spoke about what clothes, including underwear, she was going to wear the following day.
Pupil E said another pupil described the underwear as “nice” and there being a discussion about their relationship statuses.
Pupil E said: “I don’t believe she liked me and was randomly nice to me. She was fine as a teacher but many of the girls felt she didn’t like us and we felt like we didn’t want to play rugby anymore.”
She said she was disappointed she hadn’t played more at the tournament because she had paid £300 for the trip, but said Ms Williams would rather pick other players over her.
It is also alleged that Williams, who used to be a semi-professional rugby player herself, allowed students to keep playing rugby after hitting their heads, according to Wales Online.
The panel heard how one pupil, referred to as pupil F, had told a medical officer working at the school that she had been kicked in the head during the game, but that she felt she “had almost been made to play on”.
Simon Bodley said she should’ve come off the pitch and been assessed but that during his check-ins with her she said, after she’d been encouraged by other girls, she had been told by Williams not to tell anyone about her injury and to keep playing. He said she was one of the best players and he was “furious”.
Johanna Edwards, the former deputy head of the school, told the Educational Workforce Council (EWC) in Wales that had she started an internal investigation about injuries having allegedly not being correctly reported. The EWC heard that during that investigation Williams resigned from her role at Llandovery.
A former colleague of Ms Williams told the panel that she was “shocked” about the allegations, adding that she thought the PE teacher “cared deeply about her role and was passionate about girls’ rugby”.
Ms Hands said: “I’m shocked that any allegations has been brought to be here. I hear nothing but praise for her and as far as I’m concerned I’m at a loss as to how this has escalated to this point.”
Ms Williams faces 9 allegations of misconduct in total.
The hearing continues.
