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Read why a teacher who stood by and watched Year 12 tape the arms and legs of a younger student in a ‘hazing’ ritual can get back to working with kids
- The teacher was only present when Year 12 students addressed a Year Nine boy
- The boy was taken to a bedroom, where a doona was thrown over his head.
- The teacher, then master of the boarding house, stayed at the door watching the events.
A Victorian teacher caught up in the ‘tragic’ hazing of a student at a boarding house has won a bid to be allowed to work with children again.
The teacher was the only adult present when a group of Year 12 students attacked a Year 9 boy, duct-taping his arms and legs in a common room in August 2020.
The group took the boy to a bedroom and put him on a bed, where a duvet was thrown over his head.
She complained that she couldn’t breathe and that someone removed her bedspread, according to a decision by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Court.
The teacher, then the teacher of the boarding house, stood in the doorway watching events unfold as the teenagers strapped the boy to a mattress, then carried him back to the common room and put him on a pool table.
A group of Year 12 students targeted a Year Nine boy and taped his arms and legs in August 2020 (file picture)
The incident went on for 30 to 45 minutes, and the teacher finally said words like “that’s enough, it’s time for bed” and released the child.
The teens exposed parts of the boy’s body in the attack and struck him in the groin, according to the court.
The court did not publish the name of the teacher.
Several of the Year 12 boarders were charged for the hazing and the teacher admitted that he failed to supervise them properly or intervene to prevent the younger student from getting hurt.
He was found guilty of one charge, but avoided conviction.
Before the attack, the teacher told the minor: “(the) 12-year-olds are going to grab you and I’m going to try to stop them,” according to the victim.
The teacher was finally refused to obtain authorization to work with children due to the court decision.
Reviewing the decision, the presiding judge, Judge Michelle Quigley, said that while her offense was not trivial, there was a “perfect storm” leading up to it.
The teacher witnessed a traumatic car accident hours before his shift and the school was to blame for its lack of process and resources, Judge Quigley said.
Judge Michelle Quigley of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Court (building pictured) said the teacher “was caught in an unfair situation.”
The teacher said the boarding house was over capacity that night with 35 instead of 24 children.
“The hothouse culture of child support as described…leads me to the unavoidable conclusion that the applicant was caught in an envious situation,” Justice Quigley said.
The teacher has an unblemished record as a basketball coach and trainee teacher.
Preventing the teacher from contributing to sport and education would be “completely the wrong decision”, Judge Quigley said, ordering that he be granted a license to work with children.