Two teachers suspended over child porn charges

Schools have reportedly moved to suspend two staff members this week after revelations that they face charges in connection with an international child pornography ring.

It is not yet known what plans other schools have to protect children from the four teachers and other staff members caught up in the pornography scandal.

Yesterday, Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand said he understood two school staff members had been suspended.

He said only one of the schools involved was told about its staff member's connection to the operation before the arrests and charges were made public.

That was because in that case a board of trustee representative could be easily contacted.

Schools have rejected any suggestion that someone questioned or charged with child pornography offences could continue working with youngsters under supervision.

Paul Ferris, president of the Secondary Principals' Association, said if a school became aware of a staff member under investigation it would move to suspend that person.

The confidence of the community would be shattered and the teacher would have to be stood down until the judicial process was completed, Mr Ferris said.

Chris Haines, president of the School Trustees Association, said there was no specific advice given to boards of trustees who must deal with a teacher charged or questioned over child pornography offences.

Schools must put the safety and welfare of their children at the top of the list, but also had to balance that with the individual rights of an employee, he said.

Mr Hollewand said a self-employed businessman was the latest person charged in connection with the operation yesterday.

He said that those charged were likely to appear in district courts throughout the country from next week.

Some were from small towns, which was part of the reason Mr Hollewand would not say where the teachers were from.

There would be delays between the arrests and court appearances, he said, because the prosecutions were being conducted by the New Zealand Customs Service.

"They don't have a large resourced network of prosecutors. They are having to spread the load a little bit."

Four primary and secondary school teachers and a sports coach are among 48 New Zealand men caught in an international investigation into child pornography.

A school information technology specialist was also among those interviewed.

So far, 20 men have been charged. A further 21 will be charged.

 

Police, Customs and Internal Affairs were acting on a list of suspects provided by American authorities last September.

United States Customs gave police and customs officers a CD containing the names of New Zealanders caught buying child pornography on the internet.

Of the 48 men caught in the operation, 45 had been interviewed as of yesterday, Mr Hollewand said.

The director of End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking in Children, Alan Bell, said the operation should be seen as "a strong signal" to those involved.

"Society at large needs to become more vigilant and alert to the risks," he said.