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ISSUE
Saturday, August 22, 2026
Volume 17 . Issue 33
An Auckland early childhood teacher who slapped a 4-year-old boy across the face after he ran into her has been found guilty of serious misconduct and censured by the Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal, The New Zealand Herald has reported.
Shifali Arora was working with children aged over two at Lollipops Takinini when the incident occurred in July 2020, according to a tribunal decision reported by The New Zealand Herald.
The boy had run inside from an outdoor area and collided with Arora’s stomach as she was moving children into the classroom.
Arora responded by slapping him across the face, leaving the child screaming and crying in pain while holding his reddened cheek.
The incident was referred to the Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal, which found Arora guilty of serious misconduct. She was censured and conditions were imposed on her practising certificate.
Arora also lost her job at the childcare centre, which is operated by Evolve Education Group. Police were notified of the incident and issued her with a formal warning.
The tribunal heard Arora had worked at the centre since 2020 and had undergone a medical procedure on her stomach the day before the incident.
She said the child running into her caused severe pain and prompted her reaction, which she described as a “fleeting loss of control”.
Arora accepted that her actions amounted to serious misconduct and told the tribunal she had since undergone counselling.
In its 2022 decision, publicly released this week, tribunal chair Theo Baker stressed that teachers were responsible not only for educating children but also for ensuring their safety.
“It is a breach of any teacher’s responsibilities, no matter the age of the child, to hit the student.
“The respondent’s reaction begs the question of how she would have reacted if a teenage boy had accidentally bumped into her," Herald quoted.
The tribunal imposed conditions on Arora’s practising certificate, including requiring her to complete the Incredible Years Programme.
For 18 months, she was also required to inform any prospective employer about the tribunal’s ruling.
Arora was ordered to pay $1602 in costs.
An Auckland early childhood teacher who slapped a 4-year-old boy across the face after he ran into her has been found guilty of serious misconduct and censured by the Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal, The New Zealand Herald has reported.Shifali Arora was working with children aged over two at...
An Auckland early childhood teacher who slapped a 4-year-old boy across the face after he ran into her has been found guilty of serious misconduct and censured by the Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal, The New Zealand Herald has reported.
Shifali Arora was working with children aged over two at Lollipops Takinini when the incident occurred in July 2020, according to a tribunal decision reported by The New Zealand Herald.
The boy had run inside from an outdoor area and collided with Arora’s stomach as she was moving children into the classroom.
Arora responded by slapping him across the face, leaving the child screaming and crying in pain while holding his reddened cheek.
The incident was referred to the Teachers’ Disciplinary Tribunal, which found Arora guilty of serious misconduct. She was censured and conditions were imposed on her practising certificate.
Arora also lost her job at the childcare centre, which is operated by Evolve Education Group. Police were notified of the incident and issued her with a formal warning.
The tribunal heard Arora had worked at the centre since 2020 and had undergone a medical procedure on her stomach the day before the incident.
She said the child running into her caused severe pain and prompted her reaction, which she described as a “fleeting loss of control”.
Arora accepted that her actions amounted to serious misconduct and told the tribunal she had since undergone counselling.
In its 2022 decision, publicly released this week, tribunal chair Theo Baker stressed that teachers were responsible not only for educating children but also for ensuring their safety.
“It is a breach of any teacher’s responsibilities, no matter the age of the child, to hit the student.
“The respondent’s reaction begs the question of how she would have reacted if a teenage boy had accidentally bumped into her," Herald quoted.
The tribunal imposed conditions on Arora’s practising certificate, including requiring her to complete the Incredible Years Programme.
For 18 months, she was also required to inform any prospective employer about the tribunal’s ruling.
Arora was ordered to pay $1602 in costs.
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