A gay former primary school principal who defrauded his school is still on the teacher's register, the Waikato Times reveals. Barry Bloomfield of Huntly West Primary School was sentenced to 12 months' jail last October after pleading guilty to fraud and theft. He had collected payments for a relief teacher who never existed, and sold the fence around the school's swimming pool for $4,600 on TradeMe - but told his colleagues it had gone for only $80. In court he claimed he was harassed by the school's board for being gay. He was called a "poofter" and locked himself in his office because he was scared, he said. The chairman of the Board of Trustees dismissed the claims, saying he did not know Bloomfield was gay. The New Zealand Teacher's Council is currently deciding whether Bloomfield is "a danger to students" because of his conviction, but the Board of Trustees of his former school say he shouldn't be allowed to teach again as his activities at Huntly West Primary were "a betrayal of trust," reports the Waikato Times. Bloomfield is now living in Auckland and is on home detention until April.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Friday, 19th February 2010 - 10:49am