Texts and photo investigated as teacher suspended

A Queensland teacher has been suspended amid allegations he engaged in “overfamiliar and sexualised” communications and physical contact with a female student, including touching her groin.

The male teacher has been suspended. Picture: File photo/istock

A Queensland teacher has been suspended from duties amid allegations he engaged in “overfamiliar and sexualised” communications and physical contact with a female student.

The girl has alleged she was touched on the thigh and groin by the teacher and has provided two written statements to authorities detailing the allegations, including screenshots of text messages exchanged between the pair.

A photo of the girl with her head on the teacher’s shoulder at a school event is also being investigated as part of the claims.

The teacher was suspended by the Queensland College of Teachers in July.

On Friday, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal published a decision confirming the College’s decision to suspend the man’s registration after the teaching body found he “posed an unacceptable risk of harm to children”.

“The material filed by the College includes two handwritten statements of the student outlining her account of her interactions with (the teacher) and a photograph of the student sitting next to the teacher with her head on his shoulder,” the tribunal wrote.

“While screenshots of a few phone text messages have also been included, on its face it is not suggestive of the alleged conduct, though one communication commences: ‘We still good’.

“In her statements, the student refers to ‘inappropriate verbal and physical behaviour’ from (the teacher), his touching her on multiple occasions, including on her upper thigh and groin, and comments suggestive of sexual interaction between them.”

The girl stated in her complaint that she at first enjoyed the “attention and banter” but later became “uncomfortable”.

In a written statement, the teacher denied all allegations made by the girl and detailed his interactions with her, which the tribunal said were not suggestive of inappropriate behaviour.

He said a photo of the girl with her head on his shoulder was taken at a school event in a crowded area.

“He further states: ‘I did not recall (the student) sitting so close and then interlocking her arm underneath mine. Once I realised, I stood up and left to supervise the area’,” the decision said.

“Later in his affidavit, (the teacher) states that he was taking the roll at the time and that the student ‘leant against me and was touching my back. I asked her not to touch me and then told her she needs to go over with her group and discuss what week their next … (event) should be’.”

He told the tribunal he had been a teacher for 16 years, that he taught underage female sport teams, had always maintained “healthy boundaries” with students and had never been accused of “anything similar”.

A teacher’s aide present at the event and captured in the controversial photograph provided an affidavit to the tribunal in support of the man, saying that he had not witnessed any inappropriate behaviour by the teacher at the event or at school.

The tribunal noted it could not draw a conclusion from a single photograph but said there was a “clear divergence” in the versions given by the student and teacher.

In order to lift a suspension made by the council, the tribunal was not required to be satisfied there was an unacceptable risk of harm. Instead it must continue the suspension unless satisfied the teacher does not pose an unacceptable risk to children.

In this case, the tribunal was not satisfied the teacher did not pose a risk, and the suspension was continued, noting the College was required to act as soon as practicable to initiate disciplinary proceedings if it determined there were grounds to do so.