A Hamilton teacher has been formally censured after making disturbing remarks to students, including telling a girl, “you only scream like that when you’re being raped”, after she was startled in class.
According to a report by Stuff, the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal found Shannan McPeak guilty of serious misconduct following the March 2022 incident and a second inappropriate interaction with students. In its July 2025 decision, released publicly on Thursday, the tribunal said his comments were "highly inappropriate and sexualised" and had harmed the wellbeing of those involved.
According to the ruling, the first incident occurred during a product design workshop at Rototuna Junior High School. A student, referred to as Student A, screamed after being startled by a classmate while using a hammer. When she attempted to explain, McPeak responded: "You only scream like that when you are getting raped." The tribunal heard the remark left the student visibly distressed, causing her to cry and want to leave the room. More than a year later, she was still avoiding classes where he was present, as reported by Stuff.
A second incident took place in June 2022, when McPeak saw a student jokingly hit another student on the bottom. He told them, "I wish I could do that, but I'm not allowed." The student involved later described the comment as "creepy."
According to Stuff, McPeak accepted that his actions amounted to serious misconduct and expressed regret. His representative told the tribunal the first comment was made in a workshop setting where loud reactions could pose safety risks due to dangerous tools.
However, the tribunal found his remarks crossed professional boundaries and were the "antithesis" of appropriate teacher conduct. As part of the penalty, McPeak must work under the supervision of a mentor for one year and pay $3,854.40 in costs, Stuff has reported.
A reference from his current school principal noted that he had already completed a mentoring programme in early 2023.