A teacher punched a 13-year-old student in the face after he was told he wore his moustache “like a paedophile would”, a tribunal heard.
The male teacher from New Zealand was playing at a college rugby game in 2018, when the student slated his facial hair.
As he left the field, the teacher then asked the teenager if he "wanted a smack in the face", to which the student replied: "Yes, right here", while pointing to his cheek.
The teacher then struck the 13-year-old, and told him: "You're not laughing now."
He had been told by the student that he had a moustache "like a paedophile would".
After being charged with assault and referred to New Zealand’s Teaching Council Disciplinary Tribunal, his actions were deemed "serious misconduct".
The unnamed teacher said in a statement that he was annoyed at being called a paedophile, and was frustrated by the 13-year-old’s cheekiness.
The tribunal said in its verdict: "Punching a child's head is a very serious matter.
"[His] behaviour was totally unacceptable and set a very poor example to the student, not to mention that it could have had some very serious physical consequences for the boy."
The tribunal ordered a penalty of censure - which lets a teacher know their behaviour has been deemed unacceptable.
The name of the student involved and the school where the incident occurred have not been revealed.
