The Reality of Ukraine Versus Classroom Propaganda: A British Expat’s Perspective

On 5 October 2023, William Garwood, a supply teacher placed at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Voluntary Academy in West Yorkshire, stood before a Year 11 history class. Instead of teaching the scheduled curriculum on Nazi Germany, he used a student’s question about “just wars” as a launchpad for a highly inappropriate political monologue.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) found it proven that Garwood told his 15 and 16-year-old students that “Ukrainians are Nazis” and “Ukrainians are evil”. He went further, claiming that “Ukrainians are Satanist that are funded by the banks and billionaires,” ultimately using his position of authority to justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

When I read the details of this tribunal, it felt deeply personal. As a Brit working in the media, I have lived and worked in Ukraine since 2014. I have worked in Chernobyl, and I am married to a Ukrainian. The narrative Garwood attempted to feed those children is not just factually bankrupt; it is an insult to the reality of the country I have come to know as home.

The Ground Truth: A Resilience Misrepresented

Before and after the full-scale invasion, I have found Ukrainian people to be some of the most helpful, hardworking, and friendly people on the planet. These are people who consistently bend over backwards to help someone in need, even amidst the backdrop of an existential threat to their nation.

Are there extremists in Ukraine? Of course. Every country has its lunatics. But it is utter madness to tarnish an entire nation of over 40 million people with the same brush. To put it in a British context: the UK has a far-right fringe, but the UK has not been invaded, nor would it be justified to bomb London or Manchester because of the views of a radical minority. Garwood’s attempt to paint a country defending its sovereignty as “evil” is a textbook regurgitation of Kremlin propaganda, weaponised against a captive audience of British schoolchildren.

The Danger of the Classroom Soapbox

The danger of Garwood’s conduct extends beyond geopolitics; it highlights a profound breach of safeguarding and trust. A teacher’s role is to foster critical thinking, yet the TRA panel noted that his comments were delivered as a “monologue” that lacked balance and shut down alternative perspectives.

His hostility was not limited to Eastern Europe. During the same lesson, the panel found he made explicitly discriminatory remarks regarding the LGBTQ+ community, telling students that “gay and transgender people are mentally ill” and that billionaires use the media to influence people and cause “transgenders”.

The classroom is meant to be a safe, objective space for learning, not a soapbox for a teacher to unleash their unfiltered, discriminatory views on vulnerable, impressionable young adults. The TRA rightly identified this as a significant safeguarding concern.

A Justifiable Ban

Garwood did not attend his hearing, but in his written submissions, he framed the investigation as a “political reaction” and claimed his views were protected philosophical and religious beliefs. The panel saw through this, noting his complete lack of “meaningful insight” and failure to understand the impact of his behaviour on his students.

In a rightful move to protect public confidence and student wellbeing, the TRA issued an indefinite prohibition order, banning Garwood from teaching in any school in England. He cannot apply for a review of this ban until at least June 2032.

Disinformation is a potent weapon. I have seen the physical devastation it causes on the ground in Ukraine. Seeing those same destructive narratives seep into a British classroom is a stark reminder that the battle for truth isn’t just happening on the front lines—it’s happening in our schools. Removing educators who abuse their power to spread hatred is a necessary step in defending it.