The teacher charged with the rape of a Newington student while touring the Great Barrier Reef resigned when confronted by senior college staff in Sydney, after being removed from the travelling party after the allegation was made.
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allegation → charge → party
Deandra Kontou, 32, was last week charged with nine offences over the alleged abuse spanning six months, in which she allegedly exposed the teenage boy to indecent material, groomed him through online messages, coerced him into a sex act without his consent, and twice sexually touched him.
uncertain
she → charge → him
Most of Kontou’s alleged offences occurred during school hours in Stanmore, the location of the secondary college.
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Most → allege → college
She went by her maiden name, Haralambidis, while teaching at the school.
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She → go → school
The alleged abuse continued on a senior camp to Fitzroy Island on the Great Barrier Reef, where Kontou is accused of twice sexually touching the child during the day, before sexually assaulting him between 10pm and 11pm.
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Kontou → allege → pm
Most offences Kontou faces are aggravated because she was the boy’s teacher.
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she → face → ?
The student shared the allegation with another teacher on the tour, triggering Kontou’s immediate separation from the travelling party.
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student → share → party
Kontou was later suspended by Newington’s senior staff, and resigned when offered the opportunity to explain her alleged conduct.
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Kontou → suspend → conduct
She had taught at the school for two years, and left in the middle of term.
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She → teach → term
Newington referred the allegation to NSW Police and the Office of the Children’s Guardian, which manages working with children checks and applications.
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which → refer → checks
Detectives investigated the matter shortly after the alleged abuse occurred, but only brought charges against Kontou after restarting the investigation last year.
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abuse → investigate → investigation
Newington said it had continued assisting authorities following Kontou’s resignation.
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it → say → resignation
“This matter is currently before the courts and we will continue to support the police in their investigations as we always do,” it said in a statement released to this masthead on Thursday night.
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it → continue → night
Kontou’s abrupt resignation sparked confusion among Newington students who expected her back in class after the Queensland camp.
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who → spark → camp
Parents in Kontou’s year 7 mentorship class were told she was on an “approved leave of absence” days after the allegations were shared with college staff.
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allegations → tell → staff
“Mrs Haralambidis [Kontou] will not be responding to emails and will appreciate respect for her privacy,” Newington’s head of year 7 told parents inquiring about her prolonged absence, in an email soon after the trip.
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head → respond → trip
“Please do not hesitate to communicate with me any issues or concerns regarding the boys … the boys will continue to be supported in the Newington way.”
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boys → hesitate → way
Kontou worked casual teaching jobs after leaving Newington, before landing a permanent position at Georges River College Senior Campus in Oatley in 2024.
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Kontou → work → 2024
She taught society and culture, history and geography until her arrest in her Sutherland home last Monday.
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She → teach → home
Kontou is not accused of criminal wrongdoing over the past two years.
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Kontou → accuse → years
Parents at the Oatley secondary college have demanded answers about the safety of their children on campus.
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Parents → demand → campus
They are pushing leadership on whether they were aware of the police investigation into Kontou when she was hired, or over the course of her employment.
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she → push → employment
Principal Anna Girginis wrote to parents on Wednesday afternoon, encouraging students to seek professional help while their former teacher confronts the charges.
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teacher → write → charges
“Student care and wellbeing are our highest priorities,” Girginis wrote.
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Girginis → write → ?
“If you are concerned regarding the impact of this matter and wish for your child to access counselling, please contact the college to arrange this when classes resume.”
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classes → concern → this
The message faced a backlash from some parents, who felt Girginis did not address concerns of child safety.
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Girginis → face → safety
“Absolutely appalling that this [alleged] sick individual was allowed to teach at GRC for so long,” wrote one parent, granted anonymity to protect the identity of her child, to the principal.
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parent → allege → principal
“Nobody is protecting our children.”
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Nobody → protect → children
Another parent, whose daughter was in Kontou’s society and culture class, called for reassurance about staff screening and student safety processes.
“I believe parents are entitled to understand how student welfare and safety have been protected in this situation,” she wrote to Girginis.
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she → call → Girginis
The 32-year-old remained on the public payroll until Wednesday morning, when she was suspended without pay after her charge sheet and bail conditions were seen by Education Department officials.
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sheet → remain → officials
The NSW Education Standards Authority has revoked her accreditation, and Kontou is banned from teaching children and entering schools under her bail conditions.
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Kontou → revoke → conditions
Her employment at the Oatley school is subject to an urgent review ordered by Education Minister Prue Car, which is expected to examine any correspondence with the police before she was hired.
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she → order → police
Kontou will next appear at Burwood Local Court on November 25.
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Kontou → appear → November
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