Koksijde – A teacher from the Ter Duinen Hotel School in Koksijde was suspended following allegations of misconduct during an overseas school trip. Principal Peter Verbeke confirmed the involvement of police and the initiation of a disciplinary investigation, reports 24brussels.
The allegations emerged as students and staff participated in an extracurricular activity, prompting a report to authorities by a student. This led to both a police inquiry and a school disciplinary investigation.
Principal Verbeke stated that the school acted promptly upon receiving the complaint. “A few days ago, we suspended one of our teachers, and a disciplinary investigation is now underway,” he noted.
“The police have also been informed. We cannot give more details at this time, but every report is treated with the greatest seriousness.”
School management emphasized that the decision was made to ensure a fair process and to safeguard the interests of all parties involved. The teacher will remain suspended pending the outcome of both investigations, and authorities are coordinating with the school to verify the facts.
The primary concern of school officials is the safety and well-being of students, with efforts being made to maintain a respectful and secure environment. This incident is not isolated; previous cases in Belgium have seen teachers suspended for misconduct. For instance, a vocational nursing school teacher in Lier faced removal after allegations of inappropriate messaging, while another incident in Izegem in 2019 involved a teacher accused of an improper relationship with a student.
Furthermore, concerns over teacher conduct are not limited to Belgium. Reports have emerged internationally, including a disciplinary action in October 2022 against a sports teacher who allowed underage students to consume alcohol during a school trip in Belgium.