Northland teacher charged with serious misconduct

Joanna Maree Rogers was teaching at Kaikohe Intermediate School in 2014 when it was found she had organised a $3800 advance to be paid to her. Photo / iStock

A Northland teacher has been charged with serious misconduct after arranging an advance on her salary without the school's permission.

Joanna Maree Rogers was teaching at Kaikohe Intermediate School in 2014 when it was found she had organised a $3800 advance to be paid to her.

She did so without gaining authorisation from the school's commissioner and despite a directive given to her about the issue three months earlier.

Details of the case were released by the NZ Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal last month. The charge of serious misconduct against Rogers was brought by the Education Council of NZ's Complaints Assessment Committee.

Documents show Kaikohe Intermediate provided "a detailed description" of the circumstances behind the incident -- which the tribunal decided did not need to be outlined specifically.

"Very broadly speaking, the Tribunal is prepared to accept, on the basis of its review of the Complainant's evidence, that whilst the teacher's actions were unlawful and constituted misconduct, she did not intend permanently to deprive the school of the money which she advanced to herself, but was treating it as a loan which she intended to pay," the decision read.

The Tribunal also noted evidence suggested that what Rogers did was a practice not uncommon in the school at the time.

A censure has been put in place and certain conditions have been placed against Rogers' name; including having to undergo certain professional development courses before taking up any position in a school involving financial responsibility.

She will also have to inform any school about the incident, before taking up a role there.

Rogers applied for name suppression; acknowledging that having her name published would bring shame upon her family. The application, however, was declined.