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Matt York/AP
Whanganui teacher charged with serious misconduct after smoking meth at school. (File photo)
A Whanganui teacher has been charged with serious misconduct after smoking methamphetamine on school grounds, a Teaching Council decision finds.
The teacher Katherine Kirk– who only engaged with the Tribunal proceeding “sporadically” – was found guilty of using meth at school on at least one occasion.
The tribunal also found it was “highly likely” Kirk used drugs at school multiple times.
“If a student had laid their hands on the contents of the case, the results could have been quite severe,” the council said.
On September 22, 2020, a glasses case was found on a stool in one of the school’s bathrooms under the sink.
It contained a glass pipe commonly used to consume methamphetamine, and three “straws” commonly used to scoop methamphetamine.
The principal and school board were informed.
While this was happening, Kirk was seen “looking around for something” and “appearing stressed”.
After the principal announced an investigation, the teacher arrived in the principal’s office with “bloodshot eyes”.
She denied knowing anything about the pipe.
Libby Wilson/Stuff
The teacher admitted the pipe were hers but denied smoking meth on school grounds.
On 4 December 2020, police interviewed Kirk who then admitted the glass pipe came from her bag.
Kirk claimed she was holding the pipe for someone else and bought it to school by accident where it had fallen out of her bag.
“I absolutely did not, have not, and would not use any drug while at my workplace or around any children ever,” she said.
In a letter to the tribunal, Kirk later admitted she had tried meth during the 2020 lockdown.
She was feeling stressed and bullied by her school principal, Kirk said.
“When school resumed, I had a couple of weekends where I smoked marijuana and meth.”
The Tribunal did not accept the pipe had been bought to the school by accident.
“The glasses case was found resting on a stool under a sink, making it quite improbable that it fell from a backpack and somehow ended up there,” the decision said.
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Multiple teachers described Kirk’s behaviour as erratic since lockdown. The teacher came to work at odd hours and often cleaned her classroom at 6am.
One commented that she appeared to be “on something”, as she would be silly and laugh a lot. Another said she was “up one minute and then down the next”.
The Tribunal said they were driven to the “inescapable conclusion” that Kirk “certainly” consumed methamphetamine on the day of the incident.
“The conduct clearly adversely reflects on Ms Kirk’s fitness to be a teacher,” the council said.
Her teacher’s licence was cancelled.
Kirk was ordered to pay half the costs of the legal proceedings totalling $5479.25.
“It is always a very sad day when a teacher’s career is ruined by their actions in falling under the influence of a drug such as methamphetamine,” the Tribunal said.
“We do hope that Ms Kirk reads this decision and has or will take steps to distance herself from methamphetamine.”
Addiction: where to get help
- Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 229 6757
- Alcohol & Drug Helpline 0800 787 797 or email help@aa.org.nz
- Gambling Helpline Aotearoa 0800 654 655 or text 8006 (available 24/7)
- Higher Ground (09) 834 0017
- Narcotics Anonymous 0800 NA TODAY (0800 628 632)
- Odyssey Trust 09 638 4957
- The Salvation Army Bridge Programme 0800 53 00 00
- If it is an emergency or you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
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