‘Unacceptable conduct’: Teacher who hit his own children keeps his job but will be supervised

The man, who was warned by police for assaulting his children, will continue to teach. Photo / 123RF

A man investigated by police after hitting his children at home with a broom and a shoe will be allowed to keep working as a teacher.

But, the man who was described by the Teacher’s Disciplinary Tribunal as a “passionate” and “caring” teacher, will need to work under the guidance of a support person, and also has to tell future employers about the tribunal decision.

The tribunal recently ruled the teacher had committed serious misconduct but acknowledged his remorse and the “great deal of work” he put into working on the root cause of his actions.

It described him as an asset to the profession and instead of censuring him for his misconduct, it ordered him to practice under supervision for one year.

In March 2020 the teacher was alleged to have assaulted three of his children, hitting the oldest on the hand was a broom handle and hitting two others on their legs with a shoe.

By September of that year, the teaching council received a police vetting report as part of the teacher’s practising certificate renewal, disclosing the man had been investigated for hitting his kids.

Police gave the man a verbal warning and did not pursue the matter further, noting he showed remorse, accepted what he had done was wrong and was engaging with support services.

Police also advised the school, emailing the principal about the outcome.

Following the assaults, the teacher and the mother of his children separated, and the partner applied for a protection order. It was later withdrawn.

Since physically disciplining his children, the teacher has engaged in counselling, various parenting courses and has repaired his relationship with his children and partner.

He said his doctor and counsellor suggested the combination of medication, lack of sleep, a pinched nerve in his neck, and stress from his work resulted in his actions.

The man couldn’t play sport because of his neck injury, an activity considered to be a stress relief for him.

He also experienced childhood trauma. His actions towards his children could have been affected by his own childhood and how he was disciplined.

The Complaints Assessment Committee, who brought the charge of serious misconduct against the teacher, alleged that his actions at home reflected his fitness to teach.

They also argued the assaults on his own children brought the teaching profession into disrepute.

The teacher agreed that his misconduct was serious, but argued there were mitigating features because of his personal circumstances.

The tribunal found the teacher had committed serious misconduct but acknowledged the man’s remorse and the “great deal of work” he put into working on the root cause of his actions.

“In this case, while we accept the conduct was unacceptable and inappropriate, because of the powerful mitigating features and all that has done since the misconduct to address the underlying causes of his behaviour, we were convinced that his behaviour would have the required effect on reasonably minded members of the public,” the tribunal said.

Due to his work, the tribunal did not censure the teacher for the misconduct, instead imposing a condition that he work with a buddy or support person.

He will also need to provide a copy of the tribunal’s decision to his current employer and any employer in the future.

Costs of $1823 were ordered to be paid by the teacher as well.