A Northland teacher has been suspended for two years for drinking alcohol at school, causing his students' grades to suffer.
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Stephen Thorpe Collins, who described himself as an alcoholic, taught mathematics at Kamo High School in Whangarei between July 2015 and April last year.
The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal was told students and staff could smell alcohol on Mr Collins' breath, and that he would drink between classes and in the back of his car during the lunch break.
The Tribunal found he taught students while drunk.
It said his students were adversely affected with some, who had been expected to gain merit or excellence grades, failing papers.
The Tribunal censured Mr Collins and suspended his practising certificate for two years.
It also imposed conditions, such as breath alcohol testing, if he wished to resume teaching in future.