KZN high school teacher suspended for ‘making advances on learners’

A teacher implicated in a case of sexual misconduct at Mowat Park High School in KwaZulu-Natal has just been suspended as of Monday afternoon, 20 July, according to the school’s governing body (SGB).

The said teacher, who cannot be named as yet as the matter is still under investigation, is alleged to have been in contravention of the law for several years.

Chairman of the SGB, Sfiso Khumalo, said the matter was treated with the utmost urgency and that the allegations were so serious, they decided to suspend the school’s principal as well.

“We just had a meeting with the staff and learners at the school. This matter has been received with the highest regard and we are currently investigating.

“Once our investigations are complete, we will conduct a disciplinary hearing. Because of the seriousness of this issue, we’ve decided to suspend the educator concerned as well as the principal with immediate effect,” he said.

Allegations levelled against the teacher include passing comments about learners’ bodies in class as well as looking underneath their skirts.

He also allegedly made advances on them on social media.

Image: Screenshot

A former learner at the school who matriculated in 2017 said allegations against the teacher were nothing new.

“I was aware of this issue back then as a learner at the school. More recently, the teacher was exposed to a Mowat Park group chat on WhatsApp.

“Many learners wish to come forward but are afraid to do so because of the fear of victimisation and the fact that nothing gets done to this teacher in terms of discipline makes him seem untouchable,” she said.

Another learner who is in matric said the principal had been sweeping reports about the teacher under the carpet.

“We have always wanted to speak out but we were scared because nothing was done when we came forward,” she said.

Khumalo said the next step for them was to read and analyse the statements from learners but he could not disclose how many he had as he had just received them.

“These statements have to be considered individually to determine whether they implicate the teacher concerned,” he said.

This article first appeared on Southlands Sun and was republished with permission.

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