A former maths teacher at Auckland's Saint Kentigern College has been censured by the Teaching Council over a lewd and inappropriate conversation between himself and a group of former pupils.
Edward Coad was travelling to Southland to take up a new job at Northern Southland College in Lumsden some time between August 23-28 in 2019, when he was invited to join a chat with "most of the class", he told the Council.
According to the Teaching Council's summary of the case , Coad made several inappropriate comments during the chat about illegal drugs, prostitution, genital size and binge drinking.
Excerpts from the chat appeared to show Coad making light of drinking before driving.
"Sir how was your day," a student wrote.
"Long... 6 hour drive from Nelson, managed 3 pints before I started. Oil the wheels," Coad replied.
"Are you with the kids?" the student asked.
"Nope...solo. You know what that means," Coad replied
"Hookers and coke," the student said.
"I know, NZ though short on both, and both cost $350," Coad said.
The group went on to discuss prostate examinations, the cost of MDMA, the size of the students' genitals and made sexual innuendos involving cats.
The Council said the requirement of a teacher to maintain professional boundaries did not cease because they were in between jobs.
"The tone of the conversation was unforgivable in terms of his duty to maintain a professional relationship with his students," the Council decision said.
"It was incumbent on Dr Coad to resist all attempts to engage him in the group chat and, certainly, to shut the chat and his involvement down when the topics of conversation turned lewd and unbecoming of a teacher to his student."
Coad told the Council that his actions were "wrong, unprofessional and a lapse in judgment".
He said he was ashamed by the charge and was deeply ashamed to the damage he had done to the teaching profession, and called the chat"idiotic, poorly considered and stupid".
Coad represented himself in front of the Council and applied for permanent name suppression, but it was declined.
His teaching license was not cancelled, despite being offered up by Coad, because the group chat was not considered to constitute an inappropriate relationship with a single student.
If he were to return to teaching, he was ordered to attend "an externally provided professional development course on maintaining boundaries".
SHARE ME