Teacher suspended after squeezing child’s arms, smacking another over head with wooden block

The teacher was suspended after whacking a child over the head with a wooden block, yanking another off the ground, and squeezing a third's arms so tightly it left finger-shaped bruises. Photo / Photoalto

Stevie Rochelle Butler’s knuckles began to turn white as she squeezed a toddler’s arms so tightly it caused finger-shaped bruising, ignoring another teacher’s attempts to intervene.

Butler, a registered teacher, also smacked a child over the head with a wooden block and “aggressively” yanked a third child off the ground by the arm at a childcare centre.

But the teacher argued that her actions did not amount to serious misconduct as her employer did not make a mandatory report, according to a recently released Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal decision.

However, a spokesperson for Happy Feet Childcare told NZME they were concerned a breach had occurred and agreed with the Tribunal’s decision to penalise the teacher.

The spokesperson said as soon as the incidents were brought to the centre management’s attention, they ensured Butler had no further contact with any children in their care.

“We welcome the decision by the tribunal and support the imposition of disciplinary sanctions for conduct of this nature,” the spokesperson said.

The tribunal heard about three incidents when Butler used “seriously concerning” force with children all aged 2.

The first incident involved Butler hitting a toddler on the head with a wooden block after the child hit another child with the block.

“She aggressively took the block from [the child] who turned away from [Butler] to move away. [Butler] then struck [the child] with the block, hitting the top part of the back of his head.”

Butler hit the child with enough force to be audible and the child began crying immediately as a result.

Another incident was witnessed by a parent who was dropping off her child at the centre.

As she got to her car, she heard Butler yelling loudly at a child before grabbing him by the forearm, yanking him aggressively off the ground, swinging him backwards and shoving him behind her.

The parent then saw Butler “aggressively reprimand” the child, causing the youngster to cry.

The third incident involved a child having a tantrum. Butler picked the child up to move them away but the child began kicking and flailing so Butler set the child down and knelt in front of them.

“[Butler] held both of [the child’s] upper arms tightly, causing [the child’s] skin to bulge between [Butler’s] fingers and turning [Butler’s] knuckles white.”

Butler held the child like this for 15 to 20 seconds despite another teacher trying to intervene three times.

The child suffered bruising and marks in the shape of Butler’s fingers which were still visible a week later.

She had told her parents on multiple occasions “Stevie” hurt her arms.

Butler denied hitting the child over the head with a wooden block, saying she couldn’t remember the incident.

She also denied holding the child’s arms tightly, stating she only held her wrists.

Butler didn’t deny the incident involving yanking a child off the ground but said she couldn’t remember much of it.

She did, however, admit that she “growled him” and raised her voice and that she gets a “little frustrated”.

The tribunal found that Butler’s actions amounted to serious misconduct and adversely affected, or was likely to affect the children’s wellbeing and learning.

It also found that Butler used unreasonable and unjustified force against children of a “young and vulnerable” age and her actions reflected her fitness to be a teacher.

Butler provided a statement to the tribunal that set out her acceptance of full responsibility for her actions which she regretted and was remorseful for.

She also apologised to the children and their parents and enrolled in a course to address her behaviour.

Butler’s practising certificate was suspended until she can provide evidence to the tribunal she has attended a course focused on behaviour management and emotion control.

She was also censured, ordered to pay a fee and will have to tell any future employers about this decision for the next two years when she returns to teaching.

Butler’s application for name suppression was declined.