Hamilton teacher who unlawfully passed students banned from classroom

NZME.

10 Mar, 2015 01:46 AM2 mins to read

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A Hamilton high school teacher who gave pass grades to students whose work had been assessed as "not achieved" has been banned from the classroom.

It was the second time Maria Joan Bernadette Leyden had come before the Teacher's Council disciplinary tribunal on a similar charge.

Ms Leyden, a textiles teacher, was charged with serious misconduct during her time at Hamilton's Fairfield College in 2013.

The charge said she issued a credit grade to students that previously had been notified as "non-achieved", and published grades without the authorisation of her head of faculty, against policy.

When work that she had graded as "achieved" was moderated as "not achieved", she published the grade as "achieved", despite being instructed otherwise.

Ms Leyden also told students their grades before moderation, and despite being told not to, tried to amend grades that had already been entered.

The tribunal said Ms Leyden had been found guilty of serious misconduct in 2012, and as a result had to be under intensive supervision for 20 weeks after accepting a new teaching position. She was also charged with not complying with that order.

Fairfield College principal Richard Crawford told the tribunal he was aware of the issues at a previous high school, and had appointed assistant principal Maria Dunn as her supervisor.

Mr Crawford said during the year he became aware Ms Leyden was not meeting the school's assessment requirements, and issues had also been raised by parents of a student.

The tribunal decision, dated January 28, said a teacher's failure to meet assessment rules strikes at the integrity of the New Zealand qualification system.

It was also the second time the teacher had been before the tribunal for similar conduct.

Ms Leyden did not file any evidence or submission and took no part in the proceeding, and the tribunal inferred she did not wish to retain registration.