How the alleged Newington College rape was exposed

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.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.Deandra Kontou allegedly raped the student during a school trip to the Great Barrier Reef.Most of Kontou’s alleged offences occurred during school hours in Stanmore, the location of the secondary college. She went by her maiden name, Haralambidis, while teaching at the 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. Most offences Kontou faces are aggravated because she was the boy’s teacher.The student shared the allegation with another teacher on the tour, triggering Kontou’s immediate separation from the travelling party. Kontou was later suspended by Newington’s senior staff, and resigned when offered the opportunity to explain her alleged conduct. She had taught at the school for two years, and left in the middle of term.Newington referred the allegation to NSW Police and the Office of the Children’s Guardian, which manages working with children checks and applications. Detectives investigated the matter shortly after the alleged abuse occurred, but only brought charges against Kontou after restarting the investigation last year.Teacher Deandra Kontou in a staff school photo taken this year.Newington said it had continued assisting authorities following Kontou’s 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.Kontou’s abrupt resignation sparked confusion among Newington students who expected her back in class after the Queensland 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.“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.“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.”Kontou worked casual teaching jobs after leaving Newington, before landing a permanent position at Georges River College Senior Campus in Oatley in 2024. She taught society and culture, history and geography until her arrest in her Sutherland home last Monday. Kontou is not accused of criminal wrongdoing over the past two years.Parents at the Oatley secondary college have demanded answers about the safety of their children on 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.Principal Anna Girginis wrote to parents on Wednesday afternoon, encouraging students to seek professional help while their former teacher confronts the charges.“Student care and wellbeing are our highest priorities,” Girginis wrote. “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.”The message faced a backlash from some parents, who felt Girginis did not address concerns of child 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.“Nobody is protecting our 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.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.The NSW Education Standards Authority has revoked her accreditation, and Kontou is banned from teaching children and entering schools under her bail 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.Kontou will next appear at Burwood Local Court on November 25.Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.From our partners