Norwich Teacher Admonished for Blackface Film, Avoids Ban

Grace Whiley, a primary school teacher at Bluebell Primary School in Norwich, was found to have acted inappropriately after she accidentally showed a film clip containing blackface to her Year 5 class while teaching about Sinbad the Sailor. Although she claimed to have only previewed a portion of the clip and was unaware of the blackface content, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) criticized her for not being thorough enough in her vetting process, stating that she exposed students to unacceptable material. In a separate incident, Whiley was accused of making derogatory comments about a Muslim pupil, labeling her as 'daddy's little princess' and generalizing negative traits about Muslims. Despite these findings, the TRA decided not to impose a teaching ban, allowing her to continue working as a private tutor and offering parenting classes. The panel emphasized that Whiley's actions reflected poorly on her professional judgment, as she should have recognized the potential for offensive content in older films. The school has yet to comment on the TRA's decision regarding her conduct.