Teacher married to former pupil deregistered

AUCKLAND: A teacher has been deregistered after marrying a girl he taught at primary school who is 34 years younger than him.

The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal has found that the teacher’s behaviour over a period of years was ‘‘at the most extreme end’’ of serious misconduct and the only appropriate penalty was cancelling his teaching registration.

His name has been suppressed because he is now married to his former pupil and she has adopted his surname, so publishing his name would also identify her.

Both the teacher and his former pupil gave evidence that their relationship began after the former pupil turned 16, and that she was 20 when they married a few years ago.

The tribunal found the former pupil began visiting the teacher in his role as her former primary school teacher, and not as an independent adult.

It highlighted the 34year age gap between them and concluded the teacher ‘‘embarked on a deliberate and consistent pattern of behaviour in pursuit of a vulnerable young woman’’.

The teacher taught the girl who is now his wife when she was in years 7 and 8, when she was aged 11 to 13, at a primary school in what was described as a rural ‘‘village’’ in the North Island.

The teacher and his former pupil eventually married. She described her wedding day and marriage as ‘‘the happiest time of her life’’.

But the tribunal found the relationship was inherently unequal and the former pupil was ‘‘totally dependent’’ on the teacher financially, socially and emotionally.

‘‘Her role in the relationship is about fulfilling his needs and wants.’’