AUSTRALIA

Schools lack resources to investigate sex abuse: Royal Commission

The SMH reports that the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has heard that the principal of a non-government school where a number of children were allegedly sexually abused did not have the resources to adequately investigate serious abuse claims. The principal told the Commission that investigations can cost more than $20,000 and serious allegations should be investigated by a publicly-funded independent agency.

New guidelines for teachers advise not engaging with students on social media

The Courier Mail reports that Queensland teachers have been advised not to 'friend' students on Facebook or engage with them on social media platforms under new guidelines sent to school principals this week. The guidelines on professional boundaries were prepared and distributed by the Queensland College of Teachers in response to social media being a significant issue and challenge for teachers and an increase in the number of misconduct cases involving social media.

Students suffer as temporary teachers become the norm

Adelaide Now reports that a quarter of teachers are now in temporary roles prompting the Australian Education Union to warn that this high percentage is disrupting the education of South Australian children and robbing teachers of job security. Union vice president Jan Murphy has voiced concerns about students and parents not knowing whether they will have the same teacher for more than a term in some cases, and the effect that this temporary teacher trend will have on the bond between students and their teachers which is critical for developing relationships, trust and planning for students' specific or additional needs.

Public funding for schools associated with Church of Scientology revealed

The SMH reports that new data has revealed schools associated with the Church of Scientology are receiving more government funding per student than hundreds of public schools across Australia, despite benefiting from generous private donations and hundreds of thousands of dollars in school fees. According to MySchool data, the Athena School based in Sydney’s inner-west limits class sizes to 15 and receives up to $20,000 in funding per year for each of its 30 students.

New teacher salary system ‘discriminates against women’

The SMH reports that under the NSW Department of Education’s recent change to salary conditions, a teacher at the top of the pay scale who takes five years’ leave to have children and returns to work part time for three years would take 13 years to work back up to their pre-leave salary compared with a teacher who did not take leave. The NSW Teachers’ Federation has stated that the new policy “contains salary penalties for teachers with broken career paths [which are] more likely to affect women”. The Federation is considering taking legal or industrial action against the Department saying that these changes reduce womens' salaries and widen the gender pay gap. The Department has released a statement defending the policy changes.

Student sues school for mental trauma after saving friend from drowning

The Herald Sun reports that a then 12-year-old school boy who tried in vain to save his friend from drowning on a school camp is suing the school for the mental trauma he now lives with. Now 19, the ex-student is the second student to sue the school over the incident that occurred in 2010, claiming that he suffered a severe chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, chronic depression, anxiety and agitation after trying to save his friend.

Suspicious fire causes $750,000 damage to Dubbo school

The ABC reports that the NSW Police are appealing for witnesses after a suspicious fire caused more than $750,000 of damage to a school in Dubbo. A special education classroom and canteen were among the buildings that the Police said were gutted by the blaze. No one was injured in the fire, however according to police, several people were seen running from the area at the time of the incident.

INTERNATIONAL 

Sex education in schools 'unfit' for smartphone generation, survey finds

The Guardian reports that a new report shows that three quarters of young people surveyed in the UK are not taught about sexual consent, while one in seven say they did not receive any sex and relationship education at all while in school. The report, titled "Shh...No Talking" was prepared by the Terrence Higgins Trust and warns that sex and relationship education in schools is "unfit" for the smartphone generation, leaving them vulnerable to abuse, bullying and poor mental and sexual health. In the UK, sex and relationship education is only mandatory in state secondary schools which account for 40 per cent of all schools.