A respected British physics teacher at the prestigious Marlborough College has died by apparent suicide after being dismissed from his position over allegations of inappropriate behaviour during a school exchange trip to Malaysia.
The Tragic Discovery
John Wright, 54, was found by his distraught wife Rachel at their family home on November 3. The discovery occurred in the early evening, with authorities later confirming he had died from asphyxiation with compression of the neck structures by a ligature.
The Wiltshire Coroners Court opened an inquest into his death last week before adjourning the proceedings to a later date. Wright had been a dedicated educator at the £60,000-a-year school for an entire decade before the tragic incident.
Disciplinary Proceedings and Dismissal
The sequence of events leading to Wright's dismissal began with an annual 17-day exchange trip to Marlborough College Malaysia, the British institution's sister school in the Far East. The trip involved 29 pupils from the Wiltshire school.
Following the Malaysia excursion, the college initiated an internal investigation into Wright's conduct during the spring half-term holiday. After a disciplinary hearing during the summer term, several allegations against him were found to be proven, resulting in his dismissal.
Wright attempted to challenge the outcome through an appeal process, but his efforts were unsuccessful as the original finding was upheld by college authorities.
Family Concerns and Staff Reactions
Mr Wright's bereaved family has expressed significant dissatisfaction with the disciplinary experience he endured before his death. A source close to the family revealed their distress, stating plainly: 'The way John was treated was outrageous.'
Confusion surrounds the specific nature of the allegations that led to Wright's dismissal. A source told The Daily Mail: 'It's not quite clear to us what John was sacked for, but it hit him really hard. We've heard it was for inappropriate comments, but I've been told that most of these were innocuous.'
The tragedy has reportedly created an atmosphere of anxiety among staff members at Marlborough College, which serves as the UK's largest co-educational boarding school with approximately 1,000 domestic and international pupils.
Colleagues remembered Wright as 'an outstanding physics teacher' while expressing concern about the college's safeguarding regime. 'Staff are genuinely concerned about their careers and there is a sense of mistrust and fear amongst them,' revealed a source.
Speculation has emerged that the college's disciplinary actions may be connected to upcoming royal enrollment. 'The speculation is that Prince George is coming to Marlborough and the College hierarchy are concerned about the damage John's death could have on its reputation,' the source added.
John Wright lived with his wife and two children just a ten-minute walk from the college campus, making his deep connections to the institution and its community even more profound.
