A former teacher has been deregistered after a Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal found she engaged in a sexual relationship with a student that contributed to the teenager’s declining mental health, including panic attacks, loss of academic focus, and deteriorating family relationships.
The tribunal ruled April Nordstrom’s conduct at Whangarei Girl’s High School amounted to serious misconduct, noting the teacher maintained secret communications, arranged late-night meetings, and engaged in sexual activity with the student while she was still enrolled.
Investigators also uncovered inappropriate behaviour involving three other students at a previous school, including personal messaging, overnight stays, and discussions of adult topics.
The relationship was exposed after former students alerted the girl’s parents, prompting a formal complaint and investigation. The tribunal cancelled the teacher’s registration, rejected her request for name suppression, and ordered costs against her, preventing her from teaching in New Zealand.
Image credit: Antoinette Plessis
Pedophiles don’t need to teach when they have their fingers in other pies https://planning.org.nz/resources/Story?Action=View&Story_id=1000734