Sexy student photos OK, says suspended teacher

A QUEENSLAND teacher who admitted taking sexually explicit photos of a female student has tried to justify it by saying they had developed a close personal relationship.

Man inputing data on laptop and holding mobile phone in another hand.Feeling Great - August 24th.

A QUEENSLAND teacher who admitted taking sexually explicit photos of a female student has tried to justify it by saying they had developed a close personal relationship.

The teacher told the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal that the relationship with the student had continued since her graduation from high school.

Although he claimed he was not the girl’s “direct teacher’’ or her teacher “in any fashion’’, Queensland College of Teachers said he was her tutor.

He had taken the girl and other students for tutorials before and after school and QCT said he posed an unacceptable risk of harm to children.

The teacher had been registered since 2006 and had taught for 10 years prior to the incidents with the student.

Apart from taking sexually explicit photos of the girl, the teacher also kept such photos in a Dropbox account.

QCT said he engaged in overfamiliar behaviour with the student.

The teacher told the tribunal that all of the QCT’s allegations were true and he acknowledged that he knew that the conduct “was not allowed’’.

He also said he “would probably get into trouble someday’’, but said: “l didn’t care because we had that much of a connection’’.

“That statement does not reflect an appreciation of the professional standards expected of a teacher,’’ a tribunal member said.

The teacher’s statement about the relationship continuing after the student’s graduation did not diminish the allegations against him, the member said.

While the teacher said the disciplinary investigation against him should end, the tribunal ordered his suspension, which began in July, to be continued.