Golden Grove High School teacher arrested over indecent assault

A male teacher from a northeastern suburbs high school has been charged with the aggravated indecent assault of a teenage girl.

An embattled northeastern suburbs high school has taken another blow after a letter detailed that a teacher has been arrested and removed from the workplace.

The letter penned by Golden Grove High School principal Peter Kuss, obtained by The Advertiser on Wednesday, informed parents of students that a teacher had been arrested and charged with aggravated indecent assault.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Charges were dropped by prosecution on December 6.

“The teacher was directed away from the workplace and has bail conditions that prevent them from engaging in any child related work,” Mr Kuss wrote in the letter.

“I will keep you informed of the progress of the prosecution and provide you with more information when it becomes available.

“The information available to the school suggests there is no need for concern for any other children at the school.”

Golden Grove High School Principal Peter Kuss. Picture: Morgan Sette

Mr Kuss went on to appeal for information that may assist the police investigation of the matter.

Police said the 62-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for aggravated indecent assault.

The incident occurred earlier this month and involved a teenage girl who was known to the man, police said.

The man was bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on July 6.

In a statement following the release of the letter, the Department for Education said it has “a policy around informing the school community at the appropriate time whenever allegations of sexual misconduct are made against any person employed in any capacity at the school”.

“In keeping with normal practice, as this matter is under investigation by police, we have no further comment to make at this time,” a department spokeswoman said.

The letter sent to Golden Grove High School parents and caregivers.

General View of Golden Grove High School. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Golden Grove High School was previously engulfed in controversy after a spate of unrelated incidents involving anti-social student behaviour.

Graphic videos of student fights were published on social media last year, the worst being the bashing of a boy in a toilet as others watched.

Two videos each show a one-on-one fight between students as a teacher attempts to break them up.

In another incident involving students from the school, vile clips revealed teenage girls were being rated for their appearance.

A screen grab from a video of a fight between students at Golden Grove High School.

The school looked to be turning a corner when, ahead of term one this year, authorities revealed major improvements at the school, where two star pupils scored near-perfect year 12 results last year.

Education Department data shows a 39 per cent drop in year 8 incidents and a 10 per cent fall for year 9 after a behavioural crackdown in term 4.

Suspensions also plunged by almost two-thirds in those two cohorts.

The incidents helped accelerate a mobile phone ban in all public schools this year.

Security staff are back, with the school one of 20 to pilot a special government program called Positive Behaviour for Learning.

Originally published as Golden Grove High School teacher arrested over indecent assault