Childcare centre teacher censured for shouting match in front of kids

A damaged iPod prompted a shouting match between two teachers. Photo / File

A childcare centre teacher has been censured after she came in to work on her rostered day off and started a shouting match with another teacher in front of the children, which ended with the pair having to be physically separated.

The teacher, whose details have been suppressed, has also been penalised for not treating her own son the same as any other child at the centre, instead dragging him by the arm and using an angry voice with him.

The New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal found her actions towards her son did not constitute physical abuse.

The teacher had been working at the centre for 10 years when, on September 30, 2014, she dropped her 2-year-old son off at the centre before going to the gym.

A summary of facts in the Tribunal's written decision said the boy was still in his pyjamas and nappy when she dropped him off at 7.30am.

When she arrived at work after the gym, she became upset when she realised her son had still not been changed or given breakfast.

The toddler sat outside the staff room crying for 10 minutes.

"The respondent was observed by a staff member and a parent near the staff room to say to her son, 'You've been in your jammies since 7.30am and no one's changed you, that's slack man, you've been crying out by the staffroom door and no one has done anything,'" the summary said.

"The respondent then grabbed her son's arm and lifted him up by it and took him to the nappy room, where he was still crying. She was overheard saying 'Stop crying' in an angry voice, and 'Come on man, you're doing my head in, stop crying.'"

Following a meeting, the centre management concluded the teacher had acted unprofessionally in front of staff and a parent, and her actions towards her son were inappropriate and unprofessional.

She was given a written warning and told she must treat her son as she would any other child when she was at work.

The second incident happened on October 17 the same year following disagreements over an iPod belonging to one of the children that some of the other children had damaged.

The iPod had been found by a group of children, including the teacher's son and another teacher's daughter.

The teacher felt the other staff member, referred to as 'Ms N' was blaming the iPod damage on her son, and she came in to work on her rostered day off to confront her about it.

"The office manager told the respondent that Ms N was working and it was not the appropriate time to discuss the matter," the summary said.

"The respondent ignored her and entered the mat area following which a shouting match broke out between the two women. This was a contact area and there were children around who witnessed the incident."

The teacher then asked Ms N to go outside with her. When they were outside, the argument escalated to the point the office manager felt she had to get in between them.

"The office manager had to push Ms N back through the door between Area 1 and 2 and put her foot on the bottom of the door to stop Ms N coming through after the respondent."

The office manager was left with a bruise on her arm from the incident.

The Tribunal has censured the teacher for serious misconduct, and instructed her to undertake a specific programme to the satisfaction of the Education Council's manager teacher practice.

She must continue taking part in counselling sessions to help with managing stressful situations.