Aqib Khan

Introduction

Aqib Khan is a former teacher at Harborne Academy in Birmingham who was banned from teaching in March 2024 after a Teaching Regulation Agency panel found a series of boundary-related allegations proved. Khan joined the school as an English teacher in December 2020 and also ran an after-school club. He admitted posting comments about religion, gender and marriage in a Microsoft Teams group chat that included pupils, and admitted failing to maintain professional boundaries with pupils, including showing a student a topless photo of himself. The panel found his conduct amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, and the Secretary of State prohibited him from teaching indefinitely, with a two-year review period.

Background Information

Khan started his job at Harborne Academy in December 2020, where he was employed as an English teacher and ran an after-school club for pupils. The allegations cover his conduct while employed at the school between May 2021 and March 2023. The case arose after a member of staff recorded concerns about his conduct with students on MyConcern, the school’s safeguarding portal. The school’s internal investigation included interviews with several pupils and identified inappropriate religious views as well as harmful comments that pertain to dating and relationships, with significant evidence found in Microsoft Teams messages exchanged between Khan and pupils. The matter was referred to the TRA.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Admitted misconduct, no criminal case. Khan admitted the facts in a signed statement of agreed facts and the panel sat without a hearing. Nothing here involves a criminal charge; the findings concern professional boundaries and safeguarding-breaching commentary in pupil-facing channels.

The first allegation was that Khan made comments on a Microsoft Teams group chat which included pupils from the school. Schedule 1 of the decision records posts including, on 20 September at 19:33: “Also, practically, because she’s a girl she’s lucky. If she marries a good guy she can work or not work –its her choice. Her husband will support her either way. It’ll take pressure off of her to pick a career.” A news article headlined “Alcohol ban helps female fans enjoy hassle-free football in Qatar” drew the reply “White women enjoying life under shariah lol”, while other messages read: “Natural selection increasing our numbers as a result… By 2050 the whole of UK, France and Germany will look like Birmingham” and “The number of Muslims went up 44% in 10 years. Everyone else is falling or growing at a snail’s pace. Traditional values > liberalism”. He also posted “Why you don’t marry a modern girl [youtube link]”.

The further comments found proved included telling pupils that people with liberal views would be replaced by Muslims faster, advising girls to marry young because otherwise no more guys would find them attractive, and recounting that he had rejected a doctor his own age because she earned more than him. The panel also found Khan failed to maintain professional boundaries by discussing dating and how to “get girls”, discussing his personal life, and showing Student H a topless photo of himself and/or a photo of himself “flexing your muscles”. Khan signed a statement of agreed facts on 27 February 2024 in which he admitted unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, and the TRA agreed to his request that the allegations be considered without a hearing. The panel, chaired by lay panellist Ian McKim with teacher panellist Laura Flynn and lay panellist Val Simpson, met virtually on Microsoft Teams, with presenting officer Emma Dowd of Capsticks LLP not in attendance, and found Allegations 1, 2, 3a, 3b and 3c proved on the admitted facts and the bundle evidence.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The decision records no public reaction to the case; the consequences ran through the school and the regulator. Harborne Academy’s investigation found significant Teams-message evidence and the matter was referred to the TRA. The panel found Khan’s conduct breached Teachers’ Standards covering proper boundaries, safeguarding, tolerance and respect for those with different faiths and beliefs, and the expression of personal beliefs, and that it fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession. It found his actions calculated and motivated, and was concerned that his written representations sought to justify behaviour that clearly crossed professional boundaries with explanations it found somewhat implausible. It recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect and a two-year review period. No criminal proceedings were involved: the panel found that none of the offences listed in the regulator’s advice were relevant to his conduct.

Current Status

Marc Cavey, the decision maker acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, took the decision on 18 March 2024 that Khan should be prohibited from teaching; the determination is dated 15 March 2024. He agreed with the panel that “a two-year review period is required to satisfy the maintenance of public confidence in the profession”. Khan is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. He may apply for the order to be set aside, but not until 18 March 2026 at the earliest, and this is not an automatic right; without a successful application he remains prohibited indefinitely. The order takes effect from the date it is served on him, and he has a right of appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The prohibition order ends Khan’s teaching career in England for at least the two-year review period, and indefinitely unless a future panel sets the order aside. The case involved no criminal charge, so the prohibition order is the operative sanction and carries the published findings with it. Beyond his written representations to the panel, which showed a degree of insight alongside its concerns about his justifications, no public response from Khan is recorded in the decision. The full outcome is published on GOV.UK under his name.

Sources

• TRA, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Mr Aqib Khan” — source