Ex-Student Claims School Punished Her for Complaining About Music Teacher's Constant Erections: 'My Music Career Was Definitely Over'

The student was banned from the music department after raising her concerns

By
Peter Thomas
Disgraced music teacher Peter Thomas Epsom Girls' Grammar School

A former student of a New Zealand teacher has come forward about complaints she made about him months before it was discovered that he had allegedly been having sexual relations with another student.

Epsom Girls Grammar (EGGS) music teacher Peter Thomas reportedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a student, who stated that he gifted her a sex toy and asked her for sex. He "prevailed on [the student] to have sex with him, which ... was painful but to which she felt she could not say no" according to a Teacher's Disciplinary Tribunal judging Thomas for misconduct.

However, another student reportedly submitted complaints against Thomas months before his inappropriate relationship with the student was exposed by the New Zealand Herald.

An EGGS student, who wished to remain anonymous, allegedly complained about Thomas to a school counsellor in 2018, when she was a Year 12 student. She stated that Thomas had erections in class "more often than not". She echoed the same grievances to another school counsellor in 2019.

After bringing her complaints up the chain of command to deputy principal Karen Dempsey, the student agreed to have her identity revealed to Thomas to allow the school to sufficiently investigate his conduct. However, the investigation found no evidence of misconduct from Thomas.

"This was the finding of the school. I agreed with that finding" a lawyer for Thomas told the Herald.

The student who submitted the complaint was then asked to sign a "student plan to maintain safety at school", preventing her from entering the school's music department again.

"[The student] is not to go to the music department for any reason," says the May 2019 document obtained by the Herald.

"If [the student] wishes to attend a school music event either at school or offsite [she] is expected to discuss this with [the counsellor] well beforehand."

"[The student] will respect the need for all matters related to the allegations she presented in term 1 and the subsequent investigation, to be kept private and confidential," it continues.

"It was crushing, I remember just feeling like, 'oh, yeah, my music career was definitely over'," the student told the Herald. "I feel like wasted potential... If I had just stayed quiet I could have a career."

Principal Brenda McNaughton emailed parents about Thomas' conduct following the publication of the article exposing his inappropriate relationship with a student.

"You may have noticed that the New Zealand Herald has today published a story concerning details of historic[al] allegations of sexual misconduct against our former staff member Peter Thomas," the email read.

"Our primary concern should always be for the safety and welfare of our students and other members of our school community, and we are constantly reviewing our protocol to ensure it is as robust as possible for the protection of the girls," it continued.

Originally published by Latin Times.

Tags
Sexual abuse, Sexual Assault
Join the Discussion
More News
Jon Ewing killed his ex-girlfriend with an ax

Kansas Man Who Let Dogs Eat Ex-Girlfriend's Body Threatened to Cut Her Head 'Clean Off' Days Before Killing

WATCH: Rookie Florida Cop Punches Window, Crawls Through Broken Glass

WATCH: Rookie Florida Cop Punches Window, Crawls Through Broken Glass to Save Screaming Woman Being Held at Knifepoint by Murderous Man

person of interest unitedhealthcare ceo assassin

NYC Mayor Says Revealing Name of Suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO's Assassin Would Give Killer 'Upper Hand'

idaho man who walked away from prison camp

Search For 'Armed And Dangerous' Idaho Murder Suspect Who 'Walked Away' From Prison Work Camp Ends After 24-Hour Manhunt

Real Time Analytics