Married Teacher Crosses The Line
James Samson, 46, a married form tutor and head of geography at Berkshire’s £46,000-a-year Luckley House boarding school, has been banned from classrooms after sending flirty texts to a teenage pupil. The dad-of-two asked for the girl’s phone number, claiming he was “having problems with his e-mail,” before bombarding her with creepy messages.
Creepy Messages Flood Pupil’s Phone
Samson’s messages included unsettling lines like, “Shame I couldn’t get you back into my cupboard… To find a folder (wink emoji),” and “Hey you! You know you are more than welcome to come and chill in my room for revision whenever.” The pupil described the texts – over 40 pages of WhatsApp, email, and SMS between February 2023 and May 2024 – as “weird,” “un-teacher-like,” and “uncomfortable.” “It seemed there was something behind it but I wasn’t clear what.” – Pupil Even on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, Samson sent late-night messages while at home with his wife and two children. Yikes.
School Investigation Leads To Sacking
When the messages leaked, Luckley House launched an investigation in June 2024. Samson was sacked the following month. He admitted sending the texts but insisted they weren’t sexually motivated. Sure, James. The disciplinary panel slammed his conduct as “highly inappropriate” and “significantly short” of professional standards. The outcome? Samson is barred from teaching in England and can’t reapply until April 2028.
What’s Next For Samson?
Though banned from the classroom, Samson has since found a new gig as a “Professional Tree Inspector.” As for a return to teaching? Watch this space.
