Teacher censured after damaging property and assault

The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal has censured a teacher after he damaged property and assaulted a family member.

The teacher had been drinking throughout the night and was upset. He damaged a stranger’s vehicle before returning home. Inside, he continued to shout at a family member before picking up a nearby object and throwing it at them.

The object hit the family member in the head, requiring medical attention. The teacher was arrested a short time later.

The Tribunal emphasised that despite the incidents occurring late at night, on a weekend, the focus is on a teacher’s conduct and whether it is likely to bring the teaching profession into disrepute.

The Tribunal held that the teacher’s actions brought the profession into disrepute and amounted to serious misconduct.

The Tribunal censured the teacher, ordered the register to be annotated, and required the teacher to inform any potential employers of the decision for the next 18 months.

Teachers are expected to model behavior for students, not only when teaching at school, but also through their conduct in their private lives. Poor behavior in a teacher’s private life may result in disciplinary consequences, and in serious cases, include deregistration.

If there are concerns that a teacher’s conduct outside of school falls short of what would be expected of a role model for students, it is wise to speak with a professional experienced in the area.

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