The New South Wales education department is investigating a high school principal after police abandoned an investigation into a claim that she sexually abused a 17-year-old student when she was in her late 40s.
Detectives conducted a year-long investigation into the claim, during which time the department placed the teacher on administrative work and banned her from interacting with students while they awaited the outcome.
Police last month told the alleged victim’s family that the case had been closed after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions advised investigators there was “insufficient admissible evidence” to proceed to trial.
Concern was raised when the student’s mother discovered hundreds of messages between the pair dating back about a decade, when he was in year 12 and she was a deputy principal.
The young man died in 2021. His mother then gained access to his social media accounts and discovered the communications, which she reported to police, the Department of Education and the then education minister, Sarah Mitchell.
The principal was immediately stood down from her teaching position and was moved into administrative duties where she has remained while the child abuse squad and local detectives assessed the messages and spoke to potential witnesses from the time.
The woman, now a principal of another school, declined to be interviewed by police.
In March police told the boy’s family the investigation would only be reopened if new evidence came to light.
“[District police] sought legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to these matters,” a police spokesperson said.
“Following recommendations made by the DPP, there is insufficient admissible evidence to proceed with charges.”
The education department this week confirmed Professional and Ethical Standards (PES) investigators, who had previously been unable to investigate the allegations while police were looking into them, had been given the green light to begin their own probe.
“Police have provided clearance and the PES investigation has resumed,” a spokesperson said.
The boy’s mother has said that she thinks the principal should be fired and stripped of her ability to teach.
“She needs to be dismissed,” she said. “She shouldn’t be anywhere near kids.”
She was also “immensely saddened” the police investigation did not end in charges given the thousands of messages she handed officers.
“Even if it’s not sex, how many times did she tell him she loved him and that he was her guy? That in itself is horrific to think that a principal could be communicating with her student in that way.”
Messages seen by the Guardian appear to show that the teacher added the student on Facebook in April during his final year of school.
Within months, the conversations transitioned away from school matters and appeared to show the pair arranging to meet outside school hours, speaking about kissing and discussing that the teacher’s husband “knows about us”.
Messages hinted at physical encounters but it is not known whether the pair had a sexual relationship.
In one message, the teacher reflected that women of her age “don’t go around falling in luv with 17 yr olds”.
At one point she messaged him to say he was “very fine, very young, very bad”.
She said she had been “hanging out to get a kiss out of you today and next minute …”.
She also said she would marry him “when I get out of jail for corrupting you”.
Police last year told the family that an anonymous report was also lodged the year after the teenager finished school. He had signed a statement denying anything untoward had happened.
The Guardian understands his subsequent death meant police believed a successful conviction was unlikely.
The principal has been contacted for comment.
In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International
