A Christchurch teacher who formed an intimate relationship with a 16-year-old student and kissed him is appearing before the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal in Wellington this morning. The female teacher, who has interim name suppression, is charged with forming an inappropriate relationship with the boy by befriending him on social media and kissing him. She is also accused of forming an inappropriate relationship with at least two female students by having inappropriate personal conversations with them, and telling them about her secret relationship with the male student. She had been working as an art teacher at her old high school at the time and said she could relate better to her students than her colleagues. In the meantime, she was working with high school students in her new job at a supermarket butchery, and said she was making sure to keep her distance.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 24, 2017 22:38 UTC