Melbourne teacher banned for 3 years over ex-student relationship

A Victorian teacher, Eleanor Yorke, has been suspended from teaching for three years over a sexual relationship with a former student. Photo / news.com.au

A Victorian teacher who began a sexual relationship with an ex-student within two years of them graduating has been suspended from the profession for three years.

Eleanor Yorke was sacked from Carey Grammar in Melbourne after it was discovered she had sent 35,000 messages to a then-student before later having a sexual relationship with them.

She accepted allegations of serious misconduct at a Victoria Institute of Teaching hearing in March.

The allegations were first raised by the school in May 2023 and a month later her employment was terminated.

She faced a hearing earlier this year after it was alleged she violated her professional relationship with the then-student, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, by having personal conversations with them.

Her barrister told the hearing that she accepted the allegations made against her and that she was not fit to teach.

“There was agreement between the parties that each of the allegations outlined in the hearing book were substantiated,” the panel found.

“The teacher accepted that the allegations amounted to serious misconduct and that her registration should be cancelled.”

The Victoria Institute of Teachers’ code of conduct was amended in 2021 to forbid teachers from engaging in sexual relationships with former students within two years of them graduating.