New Zealand Teachers Council Disciplinary Decisions

The New Zealand Teachers Council makes decisions in the context of the following categories of applications:

  • cancellation of registration;
  • cancellation of limited authority to teach;
  • registration (including Provisional, Subject to Confirmation and Full);
  • renewal of practising certificate; and
  • Limited Authority to Teach.

The decisions below have been selected to give guidance to teachers in similar situations. Care should be taken when citing decisions as they are made on a case by case basis. The New Zealand Teachers Council is not bound by its own decisions, but it will usually follow precedents in the interests of natural justice.

The decisions cover the period from the establishment of the New Zealand Teachers Council in February 2002 to the present. New decisions are posted on the website periodically.

Earlier decisions:

-- 2005-- 2004 -- 2003 -- 2002 --

 

 

2006 decisions

nztc 06-01 Owing to dissatisfaction with the teacher's performance, employer provided mandatory report, which included evidence in the form of an Education Review Office report, to the New Zealand Teachers Council, under cover of letter dated 14 February 2003,. Pursuant to the old rules (pre-September 2004), the report could be investigated by the New Zealand Teachers Council only when the teacher applied for renewal of practising certificate.
nztc 06-02 Employer provided mandatory report to the New Zealand Teachers Council, under cover of letter dated 31 August 2004, due to issues of competency. Pursuant to the old rules (pre-September 2005), the report could be investigated by the New Zealand Teachers Council only when the teacher applied for renewal of practising certificate.
nztc 06-03 Application for a limited authority to teach. Police vet showed the applicant had five convictions and three traffic convictions which called into question the applicant's honesty, trustworthiness, respect for the law, and, consequently, whether the applicant was of good character and fit to be a teacher.
nztc 06-04 The teacher applied for provisional registration. The teacher's previous registration had been cancelled as a result of a conviction for theft. Since the conviction the teacher had made full reparation, and had the support of the teacher's supervisor, who was fully aware of the conviction.
nztc 06-05 Application for registration subject to confirmation declined, teacher's registration previously cancelled arising from a charge of cultivating cannabis (240 plants).
nztc 06-06 Application for registration subject to confirmation. Concerns had arisen about the teacher's conduct some four years prior to the application being made. Issues focused primarily around intemperate behaviour between the teacher and principal of the school.
nztc 06-07 Application for renewal of practising certificate granted. Two years prior to application, school had notified New Zealand Teachers Council of concerns regarding the way theft of money by a student was investigated by the teacher.
nztc 06-08 Employer provided mandatory report to the New Zealand Teachers Council, under cover of letter dated 24 October 2003. Pursuant to the old rules (pre-September 2004), the report could be investigated by the New Zealand Teachers Council only when the teacher applied for renewal of practising certificate.
nztc 06-09 Application for limited authority to teach granted. Applicant had one conviction for male assault female. Council satisfied that conduct isolated to situation that teacher faced at the time when under significant emotional strain.
nztc 06-10 Application for provisional registration. Applicant had two convictions for possession of cannabis in the 1980’s and three convictions for assault, and one conviction for breach of a protection order, all in 1999.
nztc 06-11 Application for provisional registration. Applicant had one conviction for six counts of theft as a servant and three traffic convictions. Offending occurred closely following the death of the applicant's partner.
nztc 06-12 Application for registration subject to confirmation. Teacher previously cancelled due to the misappropriation of school funds. New Zealand Teachers Council sought evidence of changes which had taken place to show that the applicant was now of good character.
nztc 06-14 Application for provisional registration. Applicant had convictions relating to obtaining money by fraud arising from his private practise.
nztc 06-15 Providing a diploma from an approved institute the Teacher applied for, and was granted, provisional registration. Subsequently it was found that the diploma should not have been issued. The teacher's registration was cancelled as it was found to have been effected by mistake.
nztc 06-16 Application for provisional registration. Applicant had received three traffic convictions, two for driving with excess blood alcohol and one for careless driving. Offending occurred at a time when the applicant was involved in periods of heavy drinking.
nztc 06-17 Application for provisional registration. Police vet showed the applicant had convictions, for common assault and theft as a servant, which called into question the applicant's honesty, trustworthiness, respect for the law, and consequently, whether the applicant was of good character and fit to be a teacher.