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May 18: School Governance Weekly Wrap

17/05/17
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AUSTRALIA

Victoria Police to decide whether serious charges can be laid against Cardinal Pell

According to The Daily Telegraph, the DPP have advised Victoria Police that charges can be laid against Cardinal Pell relating to historic child sex allegations.  The Sano Taskforce has been investigating allegations that Cardinal Pell committed “multiple ­offences” when he was a priest in Ballarat and while he was archbishop of Melbourne.

Royal Commission has led to more than 100 child abuse prosecutions

The Guardian reported about Justice Peter McClellan, the head of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, referring 2,025 incidents of child sexual abuse to authorities since 2013, resulting in 127 prosecutions to date.  The Commissioners have held more than 6,700 private sessions for survivors of institutional abuse to give evidence which has led to some of these prosecutions.

Sydney school and alleged brothel clash over 'schoolgirl fantasy' advert

According to 7 News, a Sydney non-government high school is in a dispute with and an alleged illegal brothel that is trying to entice clients with workers dressed as school girls.  The dispute is about the business incorporating school girl role play to entice male clients.  The entrance to the brothel is 60 metres away from the school.  It is alleged a female student of the school was approached by a man outside the business and asked what days she worked.

Sydney Grammar School teacher, 33, pleads guilty to sex with 17-year-old student

The Sydney Morning Herald reported about a female teacher, at a Sydney non-government school, having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy.  The teacher had sex with the year 12 student multiple times over a three month period.  The school was previously warned of her behaviour before she started the relationship with the student.  At the Downing Centre Local Court, the teacher has pleaded guilty to six counts of having sexual intercourse with a person under their care.

Northern Bay College in lockdown after man ran through grounds

The Geelong Advertiser reported about a Geelong school being placed into lockdown after a hooded man was seen running through school grounds to escape Police.  Police say they were about to arrest a the man on warrants when he took off, running through the school grounds.  Students and teachers were forced to stay inside while police chased the man.

NT school charged after boy dies in game  

7 News reported about a Northern Territory school operator being charged by NT WorkSafe following a tragic 2015 “troopy pull” accident in Elcho Island.  The game involved children dragging a Toyota troop carrier about 80 metres, as fast as they could across the finish line.  An inquest found a year 7 boy fell in front of the 4WD and the front left tyre rolled over him.  The school could face the possibility of being fined $1.5 million.  The matter is listed in the Darwin Local Court on 29 May 2017.

 

INTERNATIONAL

UK: Bomb Hoax at School in Scarborough

Yorkshire Coast Radio reported about a bomb hoax occurring at a Scarborough school in the UK.  An email was sent to staff at the school in the morning saying that a bomb would go off in the cafeteria.  Police were called and the bomb squad inspected and found no bombs.  This was also done on the first day of GCSE exams.

USA: School bus driver pleads not guilty in 3rd-grader's death

According to the New Zealand Herald, a Massachusetts bus driver pleading not guilty to the death of a Massachusetts girl who become trapped in a bus door.  Authorities say that the third grader was getting off the bus near her home when the bus doors closed. The girl became stuck and was dragged a short distance before the bus ran over her.

USA: Teacher sacked for ripping off pupil's hijab in scuffle

7 News reported about New York City Education Department firing a substitute teacher after he allegedly ripped a hijab off the head of an eight-year-old student, injuring her eye in the process.  Police say that the girl was misbehaving and the substitute teacher told her to remove her hijab.  She refused, a physical altercation occurred and the teacher removed the hijab and injured the student’s eye in the process.

New Zealand: Principal forged signatures on school cheques

Radio New Zealand reported about a former principal who forged signatures on school cheques has been banned from education leadership roles for five years.  The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal found the former principal forged the signature of the school chairperson several times in 2014.  The former principal forged four cheques, totalling $3000.  The former principal overstated the school’s roll on documents that determined government funding, but the tribunal believed that the former principal did not intend to mislead the Education ministry.  The school board found of the former principal’s activities when a bank refused to honour the check.

New Zealand: Weed-smoking kindy teacher taken to teacher tribunal

Stuff.co.nz reported about an early education teacher who refused to take a drug test after admitting to her employer that she smoked weed.  The Education Council’s Disciplinary Tribunal found that the teacher’s behaviour amounted to misconduct which adversely reflected on her ability to teach.  The teacher was fined $1565 and ordered to pay 40% of the tribunal’s cost.

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