KEY POINTS:
Parents of Rotorua Boys' High School pupils are defending a teacher under fire for assaulting an epileptic student.
Robert Warner was given police diversion after he admitted assaulting Year 12 student Rory Greene, 16, in October.
But parents of other students at the school have rallied to support him, saying his actions were "completely out of character" and they did not want to lose him from the school.
As part of his diversion conditions, Mr Warner completed an anger management course and was not convicted.
He is still teaching at the school which has angered Rory's father, John Greene. He wants Mr Warner suspended while the Teachers' Council investigates a complaint against him.
Mr Warner had admitted assaulting Rory Greene after the student went to his home and threatened to defecate on his lawn.
Parents said they were surprised to hear Mr Warner had assaulted a student and said the attack was "completely out of character".
He told them he lost control after the student threatened his children.
Police documents given to Rotorua's Daily Post state Rory had admitted speaking to Mr Warner's children two hours before the attack. He denied threatening them, but admitted telling the children of his intentions to defecate on their father's lawn.
One parent said it would be "absolutely inappropriate" for Mr Warner to be censured further by either the Teachers' Council or the school board.
The parent said Mr Warner was "deeply remorseful" about what had happened. He had been mocked by students "to his face" on occasion in the past and had not reacted violently.
The Teachers' Council complaints committee has already found the assault was an example of serious misconduct and the matter may be referred to a disciplinary tribunal unless the parties are able to resolve their differences.
The school's board of trustees has held its own disciplinary hearing into the assault. However, the board has told Mr Greene it can't disclose the hearing's outcome, citing the Privacy Act.
The Daily Post understands Mr Warner was demoted from his position as Year 12 dean and removed as teacher representative on the school's board.
- Daily Post
