Firebomb attack on Islamic college

Perth Now reports that WA police have increased patrols around Islamic schools and colleges following anti-Islamic attacks at a Perth mosque and adjacent college on Saturday night. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has condemned the firebombing of the mosque and the anti-Islamic graffiti on the school’s walls, calling them ‘hate crimes’. Parents at the school were shocked by the attack that happened on one of the holiest days of the month of Ramadan. The school remains open despite the attack.

Call to boycott teacher literacy test

The Australian reports that teacher education students at Melbourne University have called for a national boycott of the new compulsory literacy and numeracy test for pre-service teachers. The calls for the boycott state that conflicting information, chaotic implementation and bad timing are putting the students at a disadvantage as some students cannot sit the test due to conflicts with assessment periods and compulsory placements.

WA Government launches education program to tackle ‘ice epidemic’

Perth Now reports that WA Education Minister Peter Collier announced a new online kit and a professional learning program called Talking Drugs to be launched in all WA schools to tackle WA’s schools’ ‘ice epidemic’. Schools will be provided with information packs to give to teachers, parents and students. Schools can make decisions about which drugs to address directly with students, based on the age of students and the school community.

Royal Commission calls child protection loopholes a ‘national disgrace’

During a public inquiry into the Australian Defence Force before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the Commission heard how sexual predators can move freely between youth organisations by exploiting nationally inconsistent child protection laws and loopholes in background checks. Retired Air Commodore Dennis Green explained that “variations in Working with Children Checks make it difficult to deliver a nationally consistent, safe environment for the training and care of young people”. The Commission’s Chairman Peter McClellan told the hearing that the situation was a “national disgrace”.

Disability advocate wants fresh inquiry into Victorian disability school

The ABC reports that calls have been made for a fresh investigation into how students are being treated at the Bendigo Special Development School. The school was cleared in a report published earlier this year by investigators following allegations about the use of so-called ‘pens’ to separate students. More allegations have since been made however the Victorian Department of Education and Training has defended its principal investigation stating that parents should be confident their children are safe at the school.

New app to tackle racism in schools

The Age reports that a web-based app that teaches eight to 10-year-olds about racism and discrimination will be available for use in Victorian primary schools from next month. The app is an initiative of the charity All Together Now and leads users through various scenarios in which children could be excluded because of bias and stereotyping.

Private schools locked in facilities arms race

The Age reports that non-government schools in Victoria outspend public schools by four to one with some schools having spent up to $70 million on capital projects over the past few years as part of a facilities “arms race” to lure students. Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green has said that parents and donors raise almost all the funds for these building projects as ‘Victorian independent schools receive a relatively small amount of government funding for capital works’.

Malek Fahd saved from closure by Federal funding

The Daily Telegraph reports that Malek Fahd Islamic School has been saved for another term after the Federal Government has agreed to hand over $5.2 million in an 11^th hour funding move. The Federal Government had been compelled by the Federal Court to restore funding to the school after Malek Fahd made a successful appeal against the decision to cut funding. The Government had been dragging its feet as it was not sure that the school was complying with Federal funding requirements.

Deaf woman forced to expose herself to her teacher is suing the state

The Herald Sun reports that a woman who was forced to strip naked along with her classmates at a Melbourne school for the deaf is suing the State of Victoria for damages. The male teacher forced his class of eight and nine-year-old students to strip and expose their genitalia to him and each other for “sex education” on multiple occasions. The woman claims the state and its employees, including the principal and deputy of the school, failed to undertake appropriate checks on the teacher either before or after hiring him, failed to adequately supervise him and failed to act after complaints were made of similar incidents.