Photo: Getty ImagesA teacher who was experiencing a manic episode of bipolar disorder accessed pornography at school, swore at students and made inappropriate comments to other staff members. The Teaching Council then opted to charge him for serious misconduct, despite acknowledging that the incidents occurred because he was seriously mentally unwell. The school filed a report to the Teaching Council and subsequently dismissed the man, who has since returned overseas. The tribunal found that the teacher was guilty of serious misconduct, but noted that the incidents occurred in the context of his deteriorating mental health. "A disclosure of a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder does not automatically prevent someone from being registered or certificated," the spokesperson said.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 22, 2026 12:42 UTC