The former principal of Gloriavale Christian School who endorsed a colleague he knew had sexually abused a child has now said he made a “serious mistake”.
Faithful Pilgrim was the principal of the school between 1995 and 2020. He has been a teacher for over 45 years.
Last year, the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal said the 66-year-old had an unblemished record, as a teacher, before he was charged with serious misconduct in 2021.
It found that while he was principal on two occasions in 2012 and 2016, Faithful Pilgrim endorsed Just Standfast as being of "good character and fit to be a teacher" on his application to renew his practising certificate.
The tribunal said Pilgrim "knew that Standfast had sexually abused a nine-year-old student", and that his action amounted to "serious misconduct".
Pilgrim had his practising certificate suspended for three months.
At the Employment Court, Faithful Pilgrim got emotional as he addressed the issue during a hearing into whether six former residents were employees or volunteers.
“I felt that had brought the school into disrepute and I didn’t want that to happen so that was first reason why I stood down.
“Also I didn’t really think I had really been doing a good job as the principal. I was skilled as a teacher but I’m not a good organiser, I’m not a good decision maker, and you need to be that to be an effective principal.
“I was getting older and the stress was getting at me and I need to have a less stressful life to survive,” said Pilgrim.
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