'Do you like back rubs?' Teacher, 58, massages young girls during class and makes raspberry blowing noises at them in a 'misguided effort' to bond with his students
- A male relief teacher rubbed the shoulders of two young female students
- The teacher was 58 at the time when he assaulted the students, 10 and 11
- He also made raspberry blowing noises at them in front of students
- The man massaged the girls in an effort to gain rapport with the students
A male relief teacher rubbed the shoulders of young girls and made raspberry blowing noises at them in a 'misguided effort' to bond with his students.
The man was 58 when he taught composite year five and six class and assaulted two girls, aged 10 and 11, in front of other students.
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal was told last week the man massaged a girl's shoulders and then asked: 'Do you like back rubs?'
A male relief teacher was 58 at the time when he rubbed the shoulders of two young girls aged 10 and 11 (stock)
He massaged the back of another girl and joked she could become a foot massager in the future, which amused students, the tribunal was told.
A Magistrate last year accepted the teacher massaged the girls 'in a misguided effort to have rapport with the class'.
Many students said they felt uncomfortable and found the behaviour 'weird'.
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'His behaviour was odd,' said the tribunal members.
'It would have been disturbing not only for the two girls but also for other students in the classroom.
'It would have made many students uncomfortable and anxious.'
The man pleaded guilty in 2016 to two charges of common assault on two girls and was fined $1,200 with no conviction recorded (stock)
He pleaded guilty in 2017 to two charges of common assault on two girls and was fined $1,200, with no conviction recorded.
The tribunal was told the teacher was previously convicted for the assault of a girl, 16, from his neighbourhood which involved an uninvited hug in 2004.
The tribunal heard the 16-year-old girl was distressed by the assault.
'Taken together with the later assaults, it can be seen that [the teacher] has a history of occasionally acting inappropriately with young people,' the tribunal said.
The man must provide a detailed psychological report if he is to re-register as a teacher, the tribunal imposed on December 19.
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