Blackburn High School teacher and jazz pianist Steve Sedergreen suspended
Well-known Blackburn High School teacher and jazz pianist Steve Sedergreen has been suspended from teaching after he pleaded guilty to unlawful assault.
Education
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A well-known Melbourne jazz identity is unable to teach in Victorian schools after pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful assault.
Music teacher and musician Steve Sedergreen was suspended on an interim basis by the Victorian Institute of Teaching on October 20.
A Department of Education spokesperson said Mr Sedergreen, who taught music at Blackburn High, is no longer a department employee.
“His teaching registration has been suspended by VIT and he is currently unable to teach at any school,” he said.
As the Herald Sun reported back in March, Mr Sedergreen was investigated by Blackburn High School over an alleged physical altercation with a year eight student.
The incident was reported to Victoria Police and he was subsequently charged by Victoria Police and pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful assault.
A person at the school, who did not want to be identified, said the student had been messing around with hand sanitiser shortly before the alleged incident happened.
Another source said the student was also grabbed around the neck as well as slapped.
Mr Sedergreen, a talented and charismatic performer, is a well-established figure on the Melbourne jazz scene.
Mr Sedergreen’s website states that “Steve’s passion for teaching jazz, as well as his unique hands-on approach, uses the best of both worlds — combining the relevant and necessary theory of music with the practicalities of performance experience.”
He formed Mistaken Identity in 1985 while at the Victorian College of the Arts and has performed at numerous festivals, including the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and the Sydney Festival.
He recently performed at the Stonnington Jazz Festival, the Eltham Festival, White Night and Melbourne’ International Jazz Festival.
Mr Sedergreen has also mentored members of the well-known Cat Empire jazz band.
He has a long association with Blackburn High and conducted group and private lessons.
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