School in fresh teacher-pupil sex claims

By BRIDGET CARTER

A teacher has been removed from the classroom after being accused of sexual advances towards a young woman student at a Far North school.

Broadwood Area School - which a year ago sacked a teacher for having an affair with a pupil - has removed the staff member after allegations that he took six students to a diving camp, gave them wine and beer, then made sexual advances towards a 16-year-old, one of two woman students at the camp.

An adviser from the School Trustees Association, Eric Woodward, met the school's board last night to help it deal with the case, as well as other complaints.

A board member at the 13-teacher school, Alecia Howell, told the Herald: "We are going to be dabbling into all sorts of things."

The case comes a year after the school, southwest of Kaitaia, sacked Gemma Aspden, 26, for having an affair with a 17-year-old student.

This year the school hired Conrad Petersen, who was sacked from Buller High School nearly three years ago when its board found he had had a relationship with a student there in the 1970s. Mr Petersen has since resigned from Broadwood School.

Ms Howell said allegations that another teacher at the school assaulted a student by pushing were also expected to be discussed at the meeting.

Parents concerned about the sex allegations made against the teacher at the camp have contacted the Herald.

One, who refused to be named, said the camp was held nearly two weeks ago at Taupo Bay, near Kaeo.

The teacher took the students - aged between 16 and 18 - down to the beach at night and drank alcohol with them, the parent said. He then allegedly began making sexual advances towards one of the girls.

The next day, when the students were due to return to school, the teacher allegedly started drinking again and a student had to drive him in his car back to Broadwood.

A parent drove the other students back in the school van.

Neither the teacher nor the student could be contacted. Both school principal Pani Hauraki and board chairman Nipa Pirini refused to comment.

The decile two school has 130 students aged between 5 and 18.

Northland MP John Carter said small schools such as Broadwood battled to attract competent staff and had to accept what was on offer.