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February 18: School Governance Weekly Wrap

17/02/16
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Time limit on suing for damages following child sex abuse removed in NSW

The ABC reports that new legislation introduced into NSW Parliament will enable child sexual abuse survivors to make civil claims regardless of the date of an alleged incident. Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton has said ‘there should be no use-by date for justice for survivors of child abuse’ and that ‘this change will remove a significant barrier in the way of that justice’. The introduction of the new legislation is in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Students suspended at prestigious girls’ school for stashing alcohol in lockers

The Daily Telegraph reports that at least 10 students at one of the NSW’s most prestigious private schools have been suspended amid a scandal involving alcohol concealed in lockers. The alcohol was discovered during a search by authorities at the Catholic girls’ school, supposedly stashed in lockers in preparation for a large party at which 130 students were expected to attend. The school tried to stop students from attending the event, however students responded with a social media campaign threatening those who opposed the party, and the school.

Victorian Education Department officials’ ‘5 star’ trip to New York investigated by the IBAC

The Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) is investigating a string of emails that reveal that the company contracted to deliver software for the botched Ultranet IT schools program in Victoria was asked to fund a lavish trip to New York for Education Department officials. The Age reports that IBAC was told the purpose of the trip was the visit the company’s offices and examine the product; however it also included staying in a 5 star hotel, limo transfers, Broadway shows and lavish dinners.

School board forced to resign over financial mismanagement

Malek Fahd Islamic School’s board has been forced to step down after hundreds of parents and students demanded its resignation in a heated protest earlier this week. The school has recently lost both State and Federal funding due to gross financial mismanagement. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that after two hours of debate the school community unanimously passed a motion calling for the board to be sacked – the motion read “May Allah save Malek Fahd Islamic School. Let us stand against the current board of school management to resume government funding”.

Education Minister responds to allegations of boy with autism being locked in cupboard

The NSW Education Minister has announced that the Education Department investigation into claims a boy with autism was locked in a cupboard at his school have been suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation. The ABC reports that the principal at the school have previously said that an investigation of the allegations found no evidence of reportable conduct — a finding that was upheld by eDpartmental officials. The NSW Ombudsman is also monitoring the matter.

Teacher under investigation for possible links to Islamic State

A Melbourne teacher who has been named in court documents as having opinions sympathetic to the Islamic State terror group has continued to teach while under investigation by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). The teacher works at an Islamic school in Melbourne’s north and runs a Facebook page popular with Islamic State fighters and other known extremists in Australia. The Herald Sun reports that if the allegations are proved, the teacher could face deregistration by the VIT.

Victorian schools funded to send mass emergency texts

The ABC reports that more than 1000 public schools in Victoria will be able to send mass texts to parents in the case of an emergency without worrying about the cost thanks to funding from the State Government. Education Minister James Merlino said that this technology has been available to all schools however many couldn’t afford to implement it. Mr Merlino said that in light of recent hoax bomb threats across the country, it was important that parents were notified of emergency situations as quickly as possible.

School urged to rename student house honouring a man who protected known child sex offender

Former students of a private school in Canberra have urged the school to rename a student house that honours a senior leader within the school’s religious organisation who helped move and protect a known child sex offender in the late 1960s. The Canberra Times reports that the man’s actions came under close scrutiny during the Canberra hearings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse last year that found that the man had learned of incidents of child sexual abuse and had failed to report the matter.

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