‘Racist rhyme’ teacher guilty of misconduct

A supply teacher who taught a racist rhyme to a pupil - which included the phrase 'Black Boys Rape Our Young Girls' - has been found guilty of professional misconduct. James Hersey, 68, taught the shocking mnemonic to a 16-year-old boy who was revising a wiring colour coding system for electronic resistors.

He taught the boy the ditty: 'Black Boys Rape Our Young Girls, But Virgins Go Without.' Each word represents the first letter of the colours in the code which are; black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, grey and white. When the Year 11 pupil asked for help in remembering the code, Mr Hersey wrote part of the rhyme down on a piece of paper and showed it to him.



Mr Hersey was sacked on the spot after the boy told another teacher what he had been taught. He was found guilty of unacceptable professional misconduct because of the rhyme's 'racist and sexual content' by a disciplinary hearing of the General Teaching Council (GTC).

He was told the mnemonic was 'inappropriate in more enlightened times' and that it failed to 'demonstrate respect for diversity and promote equality'. Mr Hersey has 28 days to appeal the ruling.