April Nordstrom resigned as a teacher at Whangārei Girls’ High School after her relationship with a student became known.
Photo: NZME

A student’s mental health deteriorated and she began to have panic attacks after a teacher began a sexual relationship with her.

The student became “increasingly distressed” due to constantly lying to her parents to cover up her relationship with Whangārei Girls’ High School teacher April Marie Nordstrom.

The student lost focus on school and her relationship with her parents declined.

Nordstrom’s relationship with the girl and her conduct towards three other students later became the subject of an inquiry by the Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal of the Teaching Council.

She was charged with serious misconduct for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with the student, identified as Student A, and inappropriate behaviour and communication with three others.

The other students, identified as Student B, C and D, were at Horowhenua College in Levin.

The tribunal found the charge was proven in a decision dated June last year, but which has been publicly released by the tribunal today.

“Simply on the relationship with Student A, serious misconduct would be proven,” the tribunal’s decision said.

“Sexual relationships with students are invariably found to be serious misconduct.”

The decision said that Nordstrom had already stopped teaching during the investigation, but the tribunal cancelled her teacher registration anyway.

Nordstrom sought a non-publication order to stop her name from being released. The tribunal turned her down.

It is also allowing the publication of the names of the schools where she taught, although it has redacted the years the students attended to protect their identities.

According to the New Zealand Planning Institute website, Nordstrom now works for Northland Regional Council as the Kaiawhina Kaupapa Here Māori (Māori Policy Planner).

Whangārei Girls’ High School on Thursday sent a letter to families naming Nordstrom and saying that she had not been employed at the school for “a number of years”.

It said she had not been a teacher of any of the students currently enrolled there.

“We want to assure you that this school has no tolerance for teachers that do not adhere to their professional code of conduct and/or do anything to jeopardise student safety and wellbeing,” the letter said.

Relationship with Student A

According to an agreed summary of facts released by the tribunal, Nordstrom engaged in an “inappropriate relationship” with Student A while she was teaching her.

She communicated with the student throughout the school day and late at night, first on the school email system and then on social media.

Nordstrom offered the student extra tuition at her home until after 10pm and they then began meeting socially outside school hours.

“Ms Nordstrom would share intimate personal details with Student A, including that she had a troubled relationship with her partner and was struggling with her sexuality,” the summary of facts said.

Student A began staying overnight at Nordstrom’s house and their relationship became intimate.

Nordstrom would pick the student up from home around 10pm and return her early the next morning, without her parents’ knowledge.

On two occasions, Nordstrom took the student off the school grounds during school hours to engage in sexual activity in her car or at home.

They began to meet more frequently outside school and the student would tell her parents lies about where she had been.

Then, the student’s mental health began to decline.

“Student A started experiencing panic attacks, lost focus on school, and her relationship with her parents deteriorated,” the summary of facts said.

At one point, after other teachers raised concerns, Nordstrom requested a meeting with then-principal Anne Cooper. The student also attended.

They told Cooper they were supporting each other with personal issues but did not disclose the extent of their relationship.

Cooper told Nordstrom to maintain personal boundaries and not meet the student outside of school.

Ex students blew the whistle

The true nature of the relationship was uncovered after two former students called Student A’s father to advise him that there was a romantic and sexual relationship going on.

“They called Student A’s parents as they felt uncomfortable after they became aware that Student A was still a student,” the summary said.

The student’s parents raised a complaint with the school and its board of trustees. An investigation and a complaint to the Teaching Council were launched.

Nordstrom resigned from her teaching position.

The Teaching Council referred Nordstrom to its complaints assessment committee, which uncovered evidence that suggested Nordstrom had engaged in inappropriate relationships and conduct while employed earlier at Horowhenua College.

It interviewed past students from the college and was told that three students had stayed overnight at Nordstrom’s home, although in separate rooms.

“During the evening, Ms Nordstrom engaged in inappropriate conversations with the students on topics such as smoking marijuana, partying and drinking alcohol,” the summary said.

Nordstrom began sending a male student, Student B, inappropriate messages and met him outside school hours.

Student felt ‘weirded out’

Eventually, Student B began to feel “weirded out” by Nordstrom’s constant messaging and conduct. He began to avoid her and skipped classes.

Nordstrom also had out-of-school relationships with two other students, C and D, who, along with her, called themselves “the trio”.

Student D spent the night at Nordstrom’s house on several occasions, cooking dinner with her and watching movies.

During these times, Nordstrom would discuss personal issues, including her relationship with her partner and show Student D her Tinder profile.

She would tell Student D which people on the Tinder app she planned to sleep with.

When questioned, Nordstrom said she would often answer personal questions from students but this was “akin to a health class discussion”.

She confirmed discussing the Tinder app with Student D but said it was in an “explorative way, rather than showing people she wanted to sleep with”.

In addition to cancelling Nordstrom’s registration, the tribunal ordered costs against her of $6600.

Whangārei Girls’ High School said in its letter to parents that it had taken “immediate action” against Nordstrom as soon as the matter was brought to its attention.

“The tribunal has now formally censured April Nordstrom and cancelled her teacher registration so that she can no longer practise as a teacher,” the school said.

“We thank the Teaching Council and its disciplinary tribunal for taking this matter seriously.”

* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.