Teacher banned from teaching after sexual misconduct with former student

A high school teacher from Queensland has been banned from teaching for seven years following allegations of sexual misconduct with a former student. The incident occurred between 2017 and 2019 when the teacher, then 26 years old, was romantically involved with an 18-year-old student who was in her final year of high school. According to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, the relationship progressed from texting and messaging on an encrypted app to physical and sexual acts, despite the student still being enrolled in school.

The student confided in her teacher about mental health struggles after school, and their relationship allegedly continued outside of school, including at the school library and a hotel. The student also gave the teacher a jar of lollies and love letters as birthday gifts, which his wife discovered and tore up, disposing of them and deleting related photos from her phone without his knowledge.

The misconduct allegedly intensified in 2020 after the student graduated, with the pair having over 1,400 texts and multiple overnight stays, visits to natural parks, and cinema dates. The teacher was initially suspended in April 2020, and the Queensland College of Teachers applied to ban him indefinitely in 2024, alleging misconduct on at least 15 occasions. These included allegations of kissing and other sexual acts while the student was still in school.

Despite the teacher and student denying the allegations, some were unproven due to second-hand hearsay from a friend of the student. The tribunal, however, decided against an indefinite ban, instead prohibiting the teacher from reapplying for his registration and from teaching for seven years from his initial suspension. He will be eligible to teach again on November 30.

The Queensland College of Teachers emphasized the special trust teachers have in protecting students from harm, stating that teachers' actions may significantly impact students' lives.