‘Grooming teacher’ stood down from current school

As the Queensland teacher faced court for the first time, the school where she worked when she was arrested said it found nothing untoward in pre-employment checks.

Kellie Whiteside has been charged with over 35 offences following investigations into alleged historical child abuse.

A Queensland teacher who allegedly had an eight-year “relationship” with a student has been stood down from an alternative school for vulnerable girls pending the outcome of the 36 historic child abuse charges.

Police will allege Brisbane mother-of-three Kellie Whiteside, nee Baynham, began grooming a student in 2015 when she sent “sexualised messages” to them on social media before the “relationship” became physical. But their private conversations over Instagram allegedly started earlier than that, when the alleged victim was 12-years-old and a student at her school, according to the young person’s police witness statement.

The Australian understands the alleged victim, who was born female, still has access to the Instagram account they made, which allegedly had only one friend, Ms Whiteside, and these communications will form part of the police case.

Carinity Education Southside, where 43-year-old Ms Whiteside worked when she was arrested on February 22, said it carried out all the appropriate pre-employment checks when they hired her and found nothing untoward. The alleged offending did not occur while she was employed at the school.

Kellie Whiteside.

Ms Whiteside did not appear at court where her matter was mentioned for the first time on Monday.

A spokesperson for Carinity Education Southside, where Ms Whiteside was employed until February 23, said Queensland Police Service notified them of the historical allegations at a different school and she was immediately stood down from duties at the school with pay.

“As soon as the employee’s registration with the Queensland College of Teachers was suspended, the teacher was suspended without pay awaiting the outcome of the charges.”

“During the employee’s tenure with Carinity Southside, no claims of inappropriate behaviour towards students have been received and no inappropriate behaviour towards students suspected,” the Carinity spokesperson said.

“Appropriate pre-employment screening of the employee was conducted before they commenced with Carinity, with no adverse findings discovered. Further, on the date the school was advised of the allegations, the employee retained registration through the Queensland College of Teachers.”

A spokesperson said the school had “respected the right of the employee to have the matter dealt with through the legal system” and now that the matter is in the public domain, it would “communicate with parents to clarify any uncertainties”.

Ms Whiteside did not appear at court on Monday.

Police allege Ms Whiteside began grooming a student in 2015.

When the Queensland Department of Education was approached on Sunday, it said it “is not yet aware that charges have been laid against a former employee”.

The Australian revealed the alleged victim wrote in a witness statement that she and Ms Whiteside started communicating over Instagram in 2015 before they began “sexting”. She alleges Ms Whiteside said: “I think ur so f---ing sexy and hot !!!” before the pair allegedly sent naked photographs to each other.

About a month later, the alleged victim describes “my first sexual experience”, in which the victim says they “had sex” in public female toilets. “I cannot recall how I felt afterwards. Looking back now I feel sick and disturbed,” the alleged victim said.

They continued their “relationship” until March 2023.

The alleged victim claims her primary school principal was notified of private messaging between the child and the teacher around 2014, and their dad approached the school again in 2016 after he saw the pair in public together.

Ms Whiteside is charged with 35 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, and one count of grooming a child under 16.

The divorced mother is on bail at her parents home, and will return to court in May.