Teacher guilty of serious misconduct…

The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal has found a teacher guilty of serious misconduct following the theft of money from a school.

In a rather bizarre situation the teacher had reported several thefts of money and other property from his office at the school.  As a result the school installed a security camera to try and find the identity of the thief.  Security camera footage showed the teacher entering the office and removing an envelope containing money, which he placed into his pocket.

The teacher claimed he was moving the money to place it so that the real thief could be caught taking the money.

The teacher was assessed by a psychiatrist and diagnosed as suffering a major depressive disorder and a generalised anxiety disorder.  The Disciplinary Tribunal found that the teacher’s misconduct was likely the result of the disorders that he was suffering from and decided it did not need to strike him from the register.  Instead it imposed conditions for a year requiring him to undertake monthly mentoring meetings.

Alan Knowsley

Education Lawyer
Wellington