NSW education department investigates school principal over abuse claim after police rule out charges

The New South Wales education department is investigating a high school principal after police abandoned a probe into a claim that she sexually abused a 17-year-old student when she was in her late 40s.

Detectives conducted a year-long investigation into the claim, during which time the department placed the teacher on administrative work and banned her from interacting with students while they awaited the outcome.

The young man died in 2021. His mother then gained access to his social media accounts and discovered the communications, which she reported to police, the Department of Education and the then education minister Sarah Mitchell.

The principal was immediately stood down from her teaching position and was moved into administrative duties where she has remained while the child abuse squad and local detectives assessed the messages and spoke to potential witnesses from the time.

The woman, now a principal of another school, declined to be interviewed by police.

The education department this week confirmed Professional and Ethical Standards (PES) investigators, who had previously been unable to investigate the allegations while police were looking into them, had been given the green light to begin their own probe.

Messages seen by the Guardian appear to show that the teacher added the student on Facebook in April during his final year of school.

Messages hinted at physical encounters but it is not known whether the pair had a sexual relationship.

Police last year told the family that an anonymous report was also lodged the year after the teenager finished school. He had signed a statement denying anything untoward had happened.

The Guardian understands his subsequent death meant police believed a successful conviction was unlikely.

The principal has been contacted for comment.