Racist and sexist emails lead senior staff employee at school to quit

The offensive messages were sent by Steve Glasspool, Crofton School’s business manager, to assistant headteacher Luke Mulhall.

They were discussing how a university recruitment day for potential new teachers went and the email from Mr Glasspool referred to ‘gorgeous girls’ and other students as ‘complete spanners’.

But the most shocking reference was to a black student.

In it Mr Glasspool, who worked at the Stubbington school for almost a decade, said: ‘And a black girl, really proper black.

‘I asked her if she’d been to Ghana as we had a partner school there....I got the “Look” (sic) Just coz I’m black I’m not from Ghana, we are it all the same (sic)...All look the same to me.’

It is not known how the email came to be leaked but the headteacher of the school – which is in the top 100 for GCSE progress in the UK – has distanced himself from the comments and said the matter has been thoroughly investigated.

In an email to The News, a concerned member of the public said: ‘I would like to bring this racist and sexist email sent to me to your attention – particularly as it comes from a senior member of staff at Crofton School a secondary school with a supposed high reputation.

‘The email is, I believe, from the school business manager to an assistant headteacher describing how his teacher recruitment at the University of Southampton went in January 2016 in a very derogatory, racist and sexist manner.

‘I’m sure university and their undergraduate teachers would be horrified at the attitude towards them by Crofton School as clearly shown here.

‘I hope that following this email that the assistant headteacher who received it would have reported it to the headteacher for further investigation as I’m sure any racist and sexist comment /incident is covered by both theirs and Hampshire County Council policies.

‘However looking at the second email he appears to ignore both the sexist and racist comment.’

A spokesman for the university said ‘We are very concerned to hear of these allegations and pleased the school concerned has launched an internal investigation.

‘The University of Southampton takes its own equality and diversity commitments very seriously for both our students and staff, through a strong governance structure.’

The News contacted both Mr Glasspool and Mr Mulhall but neither responded. Mr Glasspool has now resigned.

In a statement headteacher Ciaran O’Dowda said: ‘The incident has been thoroughly investigated by the school. A member of staff has resigned. We now consider the matter closed. We would like to reiterate that the school does not condone or support any discriminatory comments or views’.