Eton College: No sanction for former teacher in masculinity row

Eton College, founded in 1440, is a boys' boarding school

A former Eton College teacher will not be sanctioned by a schools' watchdog over a lecture that stated male aggression was a biological fact.

Will Knowland was sacked for refusing to remove the lecture, which he had been told not to give, from YouTube.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) decided to take no action following an inquiry, Mr Knowland's lawyer said.

Eton College said the ruling did not undermine its decision to dismiss the English master.

Mr Knowland's video, entitled The Patriarchy Paradox, suggested that "saying smash the patriarchy... amounts to saying smash human nature and biological reality".

It continued: "Biologically speaking, the idea that men exert power over women is nonsense."

'Victory'

Mr Knowland's solicitor, Simon Henthorn, said Eton College reported the lecture to the TRA, which considered charges of undermining tolerance and failing to safeguard students.

He said the agency had closed the case with no further action.

Mr Henthorn said: "The decision... marks a victory for freedom of speech in schools.

"In producing the video, William Knowland was aiming to promote freedom of thought and stimulating debate on what was an emotive and topical subject."

Eton College said it had opposed a teaching ban for Mr Knowland and the TRA had agreed.

In a statement, the school said: "This does not mean that Mr Knowland did nothing wrong or that Eton was not entitled to dismiss him."

The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex were pupils at Eton, which charges more than £40,000 a year.

Conservative prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson are also among its alumni.

The Department for Education said it could not comment on individual TRA cases.