Principal suspended for serious misconduct

Otane School principal Dwayne Hapuku has been suspended for misconduct.

A school principal who formed a sexual relationship with one of his teachers and mismanaged school funds has been suspended after being found culpable of serious misconduct.

Dwayne Puruatea Hapuku behaved in an "unprofessional manner amounting to serious misconduct" while the principal of Otane School in Central Hawke's Bay. He was charged with serious misconduct by the New Zealand Teachers Council's Complaints Assessment Committee on March 26, and following the release of a Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal decision yesterday, details of the investigation can now be published.

The "core allegations" laid against Mr Hapuku included bullying staff member Kate Kimber-Jones, by threatening her employment if she disclosed their relationship and that he'd made her pregnant.

The committee also said he failed to follow instructions from the board of trustees not to contact Ms Kimber-Jones, failed to account for school money and failed to engage in the investigation. Following a string of emails, the school's chairwoman, Claudine Greenwood, launched an investigation.

She received an email on September 6, 2013, from Ms Kimber-Jones, who indicated she was in a "romantic relationship" with Mr Hapuku, and that he had told her "if she told anyone about their relationship she would lose her job".

On September 9, the school's board arranged for the matter to be investigated by an independent party and the two were not to discuss the allegations.

However on September 10, Ms Greenwood received an email from Ms Kimber-Jones stating Mr Hapuku had contacted her five times by text. Later that night, Ms Greenwood received texts from Ms Kimber-Jones who said the principal was at her house and "banging on the front door".

Ms Greenwood and her husband went to the teacher's home and found Ms Kimber-Jones "visibly upset and frightened".

On September 12, Mr Hapuku was suspended as principal.

The tribunal said the two had since reconciled and were now living together with the child.

Allegations also emerged in September 2013 that money from a school fundraiser had not been accounted for and would be the subject of an investigation.

At the time, he also owed the school $500 for damaging a school vehicle.

However, the tribunal found the evidence "far from definitive" to conclude he had stolen any of the money received.

The tribunal said while its members found Mr Hapuku had not bullied Ms Kimber-Jones, they in no way condoned "a principal embarking on a romantic relationship with a teacher ..."

They found Mr Hapuku failed to co-operate with the investigation. He was suspended from teaching for three months and barred from applying for the roles of principal, deputy principal, head of department or any other senior managerial position for three years. He was also ordered to attend a refresher course for principalship and management in schools, and pay 50 per cent of Ms Kimber-Jones' legal costs.

The school's current principal yesterday declined to comment but confirmed Ms Kimber-Jones still worked at the school.