The principal of a NSW high school is under investigation for historic sexual abuse after a mum unearthed inappropriate messages between her son and the teacher from a decade ago.
The mother gained access to her son’s social media accounts this year after he died in 2021. What she discovered was hundreds of messages between him and the teacher, who was his deputy principal and in her late 40s when the exchanges began. The boy was 17 and in year 12.
According to Guardian Australia, the deputy principal first messaged the student on Facebook in April of that year to tell him he had topped the class for one of his assessments. A month later, she offered to let him use the school gym whenever he wanted and said: “no way u look like someone who hasn’t been able to work out much”.
The content of the messages escalated after this. Conversations between the two reportedly involved talk of kissing, organising meet-ups outside of school and concern that the teacher’s husband “knows about us”.
The teacher called the student “very fine, very young, very bad” and said women her age “don’t go around falling in luv with 17 yr olds”.
In June that year, the student said he liked to call the teacher “Miss”. She responded: “but don’t you think it makes me sound a bit paedophily [sic]”.
Messages from the following month indicated a possible physical encounter.
“That was not my body – that was my brain interfering,” the teacher said.
“I can tell you that because every time I have thought about you for the last few months, including now, my body responds ridiculously well. Just not earlier today.”
The boy replied: “hips are a bit sore, knees are a bit sore. Good workout”.
Sarah MitchellHelp is available.If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online. Under 25? You can reach Kids Helplineat 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
