Teacher Dismissed After Posting Explicit Classroom Videos Online
A New Zealand teacher who recorded herself urinating in school classrooms and on a student's hat before sharing the explicit content online has attributed her actions to extreme anxiety. The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal recently determined that Lisa Marie Edmondson engaged in serious misconduct over a period of several years, leading to the revocation of her teaching registration.
Discovery of the Videos and School Investigation
According to evidence presented to the tribunal, the deputy principal at an Auckland school was informed about Edmondson's videos in May 2023 by a member of the public. This individual had witnessed a group laughing at a TikTok video and recognized the school setting. Subsequent searches on pornographic websites uncovered an account belonging to Edmondson, which had uploaded more than 30 videos.
One clip depicted the teacher urinating on a classroom floor, while another showed her peeing on a hat from the lost property area, with a student's name clearly visible. It is understood that children were not present in the classrooms during the filming of these videos. The deputy principal identified Edmondson in the footage by recognizing her voice and clothing.
Edmondson's Explanation and Consequences
Edmondson told local media outlet Stuff that she filmed the videos while suffering from extreme anxiety. She stated, "I can't explain why I did it other than self sabotage and treating myself badly for things that had happened. By the time it was reported, I really did not even remember and hadn't done anything else." In one video, she discussed having a full bladder while urinating on a classroom floor, with her genitalia visible.
The former teacher expressed that she has lost her source of income and respect within the community. She added, "I carried out actions that are beyond my beliefs and values. I have let down so many people. With the loss of income, I can't provide for my kids like I was able to. My whole life and my kids' lives changed because of actions I did." Edmondson noted that the incident prompted her to seek psychological support, which she had needed.
Impact on the School and Tribunal Findings
The tribunal heard that the school where Edmondson worked in a fixed-term role experienced issues with lingering urine odors. The smell was first detected shortly after a refurbished classroom block reopened, initially thought to be caused by mice. However, no rodents were trapped over the school holidays. A deep clean eliminated the scent temporarily, but it returned when classes resumed the following year.
The tribunal concluded that the odor would have negatively affected students' performance and described her urination on the hat as a deliberate and disrespectful act. It stated, "Even if that student is unaware, the use of the school and identifiable student property to create pornography has the potential to cause distress or other negative feelings in students, staff, and the school community."
Furthermore, the tribunal found that Edmondson's mental condition was insufficient to mitigate her behavior, labeling her conduct as fundamentally incompatible with professional standards and an abuse of school property in a socially and culturally offensive manner.
Outcomes and Suppression Orders
Edmondson was ordered to pay NZ$3,255.87 towards the Costs Assessment Committee's expenses and NZ$582 to the Teaching Council. She is now employed as a Women's Health Specialist. Permanent suppression orders were granted to protect the names of the affected schools, staff members, students, and specific online platforms and usernames linked to the case.
