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One of Auckland’s top professors has resigned from a prestigious teaching job after an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student.
The man is known in the community for his work in organizations beyond his teaching role and, until recently, he taught in one of the best schools in the city.
The man’s alleged relationship with the former student has now been brought to the attention of the Teaching Council.
He quit school during the third quarter break.
It was also understood that he was on sick leave for an extended period prior to his resignation.
The Board of Education told the Herald on Sunday it had “received a related notice” about the man.
“We cannot provide specific details about ongoing investigations or cases. This is for confidentiality, privacy and to ensure natural justice,” the council said.
When contacted, the man declined to comment on “the allegations.”
On Sunday, the Herald received a letter from his attorney stating that he had not been charged with any crime.
The Teaching Council said the safety of the children and the reputation of the profession were of the utmost importance.
“There are steps available to us to ensure this. We may ask a teacher who has had allegations against them, in certain situations, to agree to provide a ‘promise not to teach’ until the matter is resolved,” the council said.
“It is a voluntary agreement between the teacher and the council that the teacher will not teach in the interim.
“If a teacher does not agree to a commitment, we can ask the Disciplinary Court for a provisional suspension of his practice certificate.”
The council said that all investigations and cases it handled were confidential.
Details of the investigations and cases were not available to the public unless the case reached the Disciplinary Court, he said.
The president of the school board confirmed that one of his teachers had recently resigned.
“The school is working together with [Ministry of Education] and the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand to ensure the fulfillment of all our obligations as a school, ”he said.
The Acting Undersecretary for Sector Enabling and Support at the Ministry of Education, Jann Marshall, said the school had notified her department.
“The school board is following the correct procedures and we are supporting the school when they need it,” Marshall said.
As is necessary when any alleged question is raised about a person with a teaching license, the board has informed the Faculty Council.
“The council now has the responsibility to consider whether or not an investigation of the person’s suitability to continue to have a teaching record is warranted.”
The man has earned a stellar reputation in his field and helped propel his school’s teaching program to one of the most respected in the country.
A member of an organization the man was involved with told the Herald on Sunday that they were unaware of his alleged relationship with the student.
“We have no knowledge of this at all. I personally don’t and as far as I know, no one else does,” he said.
“So I think it would be a shock to hear this.”
He said the matter was not related to his organization and declined to comment further.
