Teacher at ChCh girls' school shared nudes, did sex acts with student

A teacher at an elite Christchurch girls' boarding school engaged in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student, giving her love-themed poetry and sending her nude photos.

Content warning: This story contains details that may be distressing.

Details of former Rangi Ruru teacher Taurapa's (formerly known as Connor Taurapa Matthews) relationship have been released by the Teacher's Disciplinary Tribunal.

The student, Helena Dray (who opted to waive her name suppression), said the relationship with Taurapa began when the pair were part of a Snapchat group they used to discuss te reo studies.

She was 15 at the time.

Taurapa taught the language at the school and was involved in performing arts.

While the tribunal said the conversations started "fairly normal", they moved to a more informal nature.

Taurapa began messaging the young girl privately — with the tribunal describing the out-of-school-hours messages as "increasingly personalised".

On the student's 16th birthday, Taurapa gave her a writing journal and a note wishing her a happy birthday.

The journal contained a small card with a poem inside titled "Words of Love."

“

"Although in body we may seem far apart we can be together every moment in the heart."

—  The poem reads |

Around this time, the conversations between the two had moved to a more sexualised nature, with Dray saying he asked her about masturbation.

The relationship eventually become physical when they kissed on an "area made of pillows and blankets" while watching a movie at the school. Dray said she was groped by the teacher.

The decision went on to detail how during a combined production with Christ's College, the two met in dressing rooms — where more kissing and groping occurred.

"Taurapa had told Ms Dray that a particular room that they used did not have any security cameras," the decision reads.

"Taurapa had made it clear to her that their relationship was to be kept secret and that nobody could find out."

He would drive the 16-year-old home most evenings after rehearsal, asking her to duck down when driving through town — kissing her when she left the car.

Taurapa would also talk about other relationships he was engaging in, as well as his approaches to a "young lady" working at Christ's College. She was a Year 12 female student.

These discussions would leave Dray "feeling conflicted, used and emotionally drained".

He would talk to Dray about sex — with full knowledge she hadn't had sex.

The decision also recounted a night when Taurapa drove Dray to a secluded location, making her perform oral sex.

"[I] didn't want to give him oral sex anymore," Dray said.

He would also send her nude photos on "multiple occasions".

He encouraged her to masturbate on camera, which Dray reluctantly agreed to.

Taurapa also asked her to delete messages so as to "not leave a trace".

Things eventually fizzled out when Dray reached Year 13. This happened shortly before his resignation.

When she asked him why, he said: "My lawyer has told me not to contact you anymore…."

This was because Taurapa had been caught in the act, with CCTV photos showing his car parked outside her home.

His conduct was referred to the police, who referred it to the Ministry of Education.

The relationship had a significant effect on the young girl, and saw her undertake counselling.

"She now has difficulties interacting with male authority figures," the tribunal said.

"She has had difficulty continuing her Te Reo studies due to the connection she draws with Taurapa and her previous Te Reo studies at school with him as her teacher."

It wasn't the first time the tribunal was made aware of Taurapa's behaviour. A month earlier, a Year 12 student working at Christ's College had complained about his advances.

While the relationship never became physical, he still gave her gifts and paid for meals at his family restaurant while he was working.

He would ask the girl on dates and request she send him photos of her in a bikini.

After the girl's boss was contacted by her parents, Taurapa was ordered to cease contact.

Initially, Taurapa denied the allegations, saying he did nothing wrong.

He admitted to seeing Dray outside of school hours but said all meetings were school-related — except for one occasion where he received a distressing phone call from Dray.

However, in a later response, Taurapa accepted he'd engaged in serious misconduct and branched his professional obligations "by attempting to help [Student X] with her hauora and mental health".

He said he would be seeing a psychologist to understand his behaviour and ensure it wouldn't happen again.

"Taurapa explained that, in his capacity as an inexperienced provisional teacher, he had failed to comprehend the extent of the cultural differences and that he had since received additional professional training to improve his understanding of a more Pākehā focused approach before gaining his full professional practising certificate."

He told the tribunal their relationship with the other girl was a "friendship", with physical contact limited to "a hug".

The Teacher's Disciplinary Tribunal found Taurapa had engaged in serious misconduct, and his registration was cancelled.

"The conduct with both Ms Dray and Ms Y reflects adversely on Taurapa's fitness to be a teacher — section 378(b). It reflects extremely adversely. This type of conduct strikes at the heart of the teacher-student relationship (particularly in relation to Ms Dray, given he was her teacher). It is at the most serious end of serious misconduct cases that come before the Tribunal," the tribunal said.

He was made to pay $9000 in legal fees to the tribunal's Complaints Assessment Committee and $1350 to the tribunal.