Australia

Radicalisation awareness information kits for schools

The Federal Government’s distribution of ‘radicalisation awareness information kits’ has caused some experts and community leaders to encourage schools not to ‘jump to conclusions’. The Guardianreports that schools are being urged to use the warning signs carefully and Anne Aly, an expert in violent extremism, says reducing radicalisation to a checklist of behaviours could result in the targeting of Muslim students.

Geography and history replaced with computer coding lessons

Both geography and history have been scrapped as stand-alone subjects in the Federal Government’s new ‘slimmed-down’ national curriculum. The Australian reports that Indigenous issues have also been cut from parts of the curriculum and that computer coding will now be taught in primary schools to Years 5 and 6.

New allegations of children locked in cages at school

The ABC reports that the Victorian Education Department has launched an investigation into claims that disabled children have been locked in cages at a special school in Bendigo. In May a former teacher reported that cages were used in classrooms for at least 5 years and students were often physically hurt and restrained by staff. Despite the school denying the claims, the Department will investigate to determine whether there is a risk of danger or inappropriate treatment of students at the school.

Student has brain surgery after playground bashing

A Sydney Catholic school has been criticised for failing to call an ambulance when a 15-year-old student was punched in the back of the head during a schoolyard fight. The Daily Telegraph reportsthat the school instead called the boy’s mother who then drove him to hospital where he suffered a brain aneurysm and had to undergo brain surgery. The student will never play sport again and will be on medication for life as a result of the injury.

Victorian primary school bursar sues Education Department

A bursar being investigated for her alleged involvement in a $2.5 million school funding rort is suing the Department of Education and Training over her suspension from the school, The Age reports. Her suspension was an ‘interim measure taken without prejudice’, according to the Department, as she is investigated for signing off on over $150,000 in false school invoices. The bursar contends that she is innocent and will clear her name in court.

International

School not liable for accessing student’s Facebook accounts

A US Federal Court has found that a teacher in Mississippi is not liable for breaching the privacy rights of a student by accessing her Facebook account to investigate claims of threatening remarks to another student. Business Insider Australia reports that a teacher ‘coercively requested’ the student’s log-in information and investigated the bullying allegations which, when substantiated, resulted in a two week suspension from extra-curricular activities.

Muslim boy arrested over clock withdraws from school

A 14-year-old Muslim student in Dallas, Texas was arrested and handcuffed when a clock he claimed to have made at home was thought to be a bomb by his teacher. The student and his family have received a great deal of support including  a tweet from President Obama. Al Jazeera reports that the boy’s father has withdrawn all of his children from the school district after the ordeal left his son unable to eat or sleep.