A female teacher at a Hastings high school has been deregistered after admitting to a sexual relationship with a student.
In a decision issued on Thursday, the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal cancelled her teaching registration and ordered her to pay $2226.11.
- Otago teacher's registration cancelled after inappropriate relationship with student
- NZ teacher lies to colleague, cons her into spanking session
The teacher, who has been granted name suppression, taught English at Hastings Boys' High School.
On June 23 2017, Principal Rob Sturch received screenshots of text messages between the teacher and a Year 12 student, which he believed suggested a sexual relationship.
That same day he met with the woman and showed her the messages. She admitted that she had been in a sexual relationship with the boy, who was 16 years old at the time.
She was immediately stood down and later resigned from her job.
The tribunal said the teacher was "fully cooperative" with the investigation.
"She candidly admitted the nature of her relationship with [the student] and did not resist the conclusions that cancellation of her registration to teach is inevitable."
While it's not illegal for a teacher to have sexual relations with a student who is 16 or older, it is considered "serious misconduct at a high level" by the tribunal.
"[The teacher and student] are not contemporaries," it said in its decision.
"They could not be friends. [The teacher is] in a position of power and responsibility, where he [or she] should role model appropriate behaviour."
While both the teacher and student have been granted permanent name suppression, the tribunal has named Hastings Boys' High School as media had already reported the school's name.
Newshub.
