AUSTRALIA

How schools are tracking students using their mobile phones
The Age reported about Australian schools tracking what students do on their mobile phones.  This is to ensure that students are protected from pornography, predators and other online dangers.  Some schools are even enabling the monitoring technology to notify teachers, parents, and welfare staff when students access concerning material through their phones.  Privacy experts have raised concerns as the technology may erode trust and put children under unnecessary surveillance.

More doctors in schools as controversial GP program expands
The Herald Sun reported about a program that will station a doctor in 40 public secondary schools one day a week.  The program has sparked concerns that girls as young as 12 could be given the contraceptive pill at school and doctors can treat a student, even if a parent expressly refuses their consent.

Teachers learn self-defence as violence soars in Perth schools
According to Perth Now, teachers in WA are learning self-defence and how to physically restrain violent and aggressive students as a last resort so reduce the rise of violence in the classroom.  Teachers are taught a range verbal, body language and physical techniques on how to manage students with challenging behaviour and defuse volatile situations.

Prepping for Prep: Should children play or study to get set for prep year?
The Brisbane Times wrote about whether children should be prepared for the transition from kindergarten to prep.  Private agencies are providing classes for young pre-prep children in Queensland to help identify problems for parents and provide special classes to help young children mature.

INTERNATIONAL

New Zealand: High school rugby brawl investigation focuses on referee abuse
Stuff.co.nz report about an investigation into a school rugby match brawl, focussing on a spectator abusing the referee.  Several players were stood down for a game following the incident, which happened at a midweek match between two high school rugby teams.

USA: PE teacher stole, sold Dickinson High School laptops, according to court documents
Delaware Online reported about a teacher stealing and selling $1,500 worth of Chromebooks from the high school he taught at. The teacher then resigned after he was arrested.  During investigations, Police believe that he also allegedly sold 16 Acer or Dell laptops and one Dell projector, belonging to the high school, to a pawn shop. Police later determined that the serial numbers of all the computers the teacher sold to the pawn shop matched the computers missing computers at the high school.

UK: Cladding at two London schools fail fire safety checks
TES reported on the UK Government revealing in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire that the cladding at two schools has failed fire safety tests.  Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the UK Government ordered tests on any aluminium composite material on schools above 18 metres.  The UK Government said both schools have been declared safe following inspections from the Fire and Rescue Service, which said appropriate measures were in place to mitigate risks from potential fire.