Ms Samantha Barguss

Introduction

Ms Samantha Barguss was a teacher at Hall Green Infant School in Birmingham, where she had been employed since 1 September 2019. In July 2024 a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency found proved that, between 22 July 2020 and 25 January 2023, she posted and/or allowed to be displayed inappropriate images and videos of herself on the internet, and posted and/or allowed messages and images on the internet offering to sell sexual services. She admitted both allegations in a signed statement of agreed facts, and the panel found each proved, amounting to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. On 3 July 2024, deciding on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, Marc Cavey prohibited her from teaching indefinitely, with a five-year review period.

Background Information

The panel convened on 1 July 2024 by way of a virtual meeting. In advance, the TRA had agreed to a request from Ms Barguss that the allegations be considered without a hearing, and she provided a statement of agreed facts signed on 25 February 2024 and countersigned by the presenting officer on 4 March 2024. The meeting took place in private, with no attendance by the presenting officer, Ms Barguss or any representative on her behalf. The allegations were set out in a notice of meeting dated 18 April 2024.

The School had received an anonymous complaint about her; a 2022 anonymous letter stated she was “openly working as an escort”. At an initial meeting on 24 January 2023 she denied the allegations; the LADO confirmed the concerns were outside its remit. On 25 January 2023 she admitted aspects of the allegations and resigned with immediate effect, and on 1 February 2023 Birmingham City Council referred the concerns to the TRA.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

The first allegation concerned images and videos. The panel considered screenshots of a profile that the anonymous letter linked to Ms Barguss through connections with her Facebook posts. Its ‘movies’ and ‘gallery’ sections contained numerous inappropriate images and videos, many with graphic titles; the still images appeared to show her engaging in sexual intercourse, while the gallery showed her body from a range of angles in minimal clothing. In her statement she attributed the profile to the strain of Covid and lockdown, saying she and her partner had created it to meet like-minded individuals and had kept her identity hidden. The panel did not accept this, noting that some of the photographs and still images clearly showed her face, and found allegation 1 proved: she had uploaded the images and videos and they were inappropriate.

The second allegation concerned the offer of sexual services. The profile stated: “I am exceptionally popular and always eager to add to my impressive, ever growing, base of regular clients. I love my job and I desire nothing more than to gratify you in every way possible.” It described the work as “a secondary venture of pleasure and naughtiness”, asked business travellers to book in advance, and set out her pricing — £120 for half an hour, £220 for an hour and £1,600 overnight. Ms Barguss denied any financial gain, but the panel found the price list a clear indication of an intention to sell sexual services, incompatible with the suggestion the couple had only wanted to meet like-minded couples. Allegation 2 was found proved.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel found the conduct breached the Teachers’ Standards, and that in particular seeking to sell sexual services fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession. A teacher is expected to be a role model; it was at least possible pupils could have found the profile, and viewing their teacher this way might lead pupils to think posting such images was a way to make money — a potentially dangerous perception, and a failure to promote the welfare of children. The anonymous complaint had put it plainly: “for a teacher such behaviour is unacceptable.” The panel found conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, observing that there had already been institutional damage as a result of the conduct.

It also found she had demonstrated no appreciation of how her actions could have affected the pupils she taught, a fundamental lack of understanding that what she portrays online attaches to her as a teacher and to the profession generally, and that she had minimised the misconduct and criticised the School’s handling rather than accepting wrongdoing. It recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect and a five-year review period, because until she developed significant insight there was a risk of repetition.

Current Status

On 3 July 2024 Marc Cavey decided on behalf of the Secretary of State that Ms Samantha Barguss is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. He recorded that the findings were particularly serious as they included a teacher posting messages presenting a clear indication of an intention to sell sexual services, and was particularly mindful of the very negative impact that such a finding may have on the reputation of the profession. In his view, it was necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession; a published decision not backed up by full remorse or insight did not satisfy the public interest. The five-year review period was proportionate given the serious nature of the misconduct, the lack of evidence of either full insight or remorse, and the likely negative impact of her actions on the standing of the profession. She may apply for the order to be set aside, but not until 8 July 2029 at the earliest — five years from the date of the order. That is not an automatic right; without a successful application she remains prohibited indefinitely. The order takes effect from the date it is served, and she may appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The prohibition order ends Ms Barguss’s teaching career in England unless a future panel sets the order aside after July 2029. She had already resigned from Hall Green Infant School in January 2023, on the day she admitted aspects of the allegations. The panel accepted no doubt had been cast on her abilities as an educator, but decided the public interest in maintaining confidence in teaching outweighed her interests, given conduct outside anything that could reasonably be tolerated. Any future application would require her to show significant insight into why posting sexual images of herself and offering sexual services for sale was incompatible with being a teacher.

Sources

• Teaching Regulation Agency, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Ms Samantha Barguss” — source