TAURANGA - Principals of Tauranga primary schools believe the school that sacked a teacher for abusing children should be named to lift doubt hanging over every other school.
A 25-year-old primary school teacher was dismissed late last year after taping children's mouths and whacking them with rulers when theyspoke out of turn.
The woman was charged with eight counts of assault after the mother of a 7-year-old girl complained to police about golf-ball-sized welts on her daughter's forehead.
But the teacher's identity and where she worked are the subject of a suppression order her lawyer obtained, which means there appears to be nothing preventing her from teaching at another Tauranga school.
Principals were fielding calls yesterday from parents anxious their children might have been taught by the sacked teacher.
One principal said that because his school had received negative publicity in the past, people assumed it was involved in this incident.
"Once the school wasn't allowed to be named, I knew this would happen," he said.
"It [the suppression] may be in the best interests of all concerned but the rest of us are subject to a process of elimination and are all tainted ..."
He was also concerned that principals needed to know who the woman was so as to avoid employing her.
Another principal said people working at her school had asked whether it was "the one."
"It's a bit like when suppression is granted to doctors - people are left wondering who it is and that's when rumours and speculation start," she said.
The teacher's lawyer, Rachael Adams, refused to comment on whether the woman was still teaching or living in Tauranga.
Rachael Adams said the matter was still before the Tauranga District Court and the woman had not yet received police diversion from the eight assault charges as previously understood.
Nor had she written letters of apology to her victims, although she might later be ordered to do so.
"I'm sure she may one day like to express her perspective but it would be most unwise at this time," Rachael Adams said.
Although Tauranga police said the school did not fully cooperate in the investigation, its board of trustees chairwoman said she believed the school dealt with the incident appropriately.
"There's been a complete change of board since then but from what I gather, everything was done properly."
