AUSTRALIA

Schools, universities, hospitals not up to scratch, finds damning productivity report

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote about how the Productivity Commission said that schools, universities, hospitals and other services and infrastructure are not up to standard.  A five year program, requested by Treasurer Scott Morrison, is designed to jump start productivity in Australia, which the Productivity Commission believes has barely grown since 2004.

High school boys wearing dresses ordered to change or go home at Year 12 muck-up day

According to the Herald Sun, boys at a school in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs who wore dresses to their Year 12 muck-up day were pulled out of class and ordered to change or go home, while girls who dressed in boys uniform were allowed to remain at the school.  40 Year 12 boys turned up to school in dresses for their last day of classes.  In a statement, the school said students were asked to wear shorts underneath after complaints were received over the length of their dresses.

WA's scathing Teacher Registration Board behaviour report card

Perth Now wrote about WA’s annual Teacher Registration Board report revealing some damming results.  The report reveals that four teachers lost their licence after being charged with sexual offences involving children.  WA Department of Education also recorded 151 allegations of inappropriate behaviour and 130 allegations of physical assault.  There were 39 allegations of serious misconduct, five of which have resulted in the cancellation of a teacher’s registration.

Ombudsman could investigate Victorian education department boss

According to The Age, Victoria’s Ombudsman will investigate the Secretary of the Victorian Department of Education and Training, after allegations emerged that the Secretary tried to convince a principal to given damaging evidence during a trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria that youths who were temporarily sent to Barwon Adult Prison could be given appropriate education qualifications – despite views to the contrary.

HSC student responds to racist meme accusations

According to News.com.au, a NSW student has been accused of posting a racist meme on social media.  The HSC student allegedly abused an indigenous poet via social media, by creating and posting a meme with an image of a monkey at a typewriter with the caption “LEAKED IMAGE OF THE AUTHOR OF 'MANGO'."  The student has since apologised and said that “I do believe it has been taken way out of proportion.”

Worst bullies would be forced to move schools under SA Government proposal

The Advertiser wrote about how serial bullies within schools will be forced to move schools under a change being pushed by the SA Government.  Also, as part of these changes, power may be given to the SA Education Department to direct parents who get caught falsifying information (to get their children into a desirable school) to enrol in a particular school nominated by the Education Department.  Parents of bullying victims often complain that it is unfair that the bully gets to stay, but they feel they have no choice but to move their children to another school.

INTERNATIONAL

USA: Teacher duct tapes 5th graders mouths shut to keep them quiet

Fox News Boston reported about a substitute teacher in Texas who has lost her job after allegedly duct-taping fifth graders mouths shut to keep them quiet.  The incident, only lasting several minutes, involved around 10 students.  The students were checked out by a school nurse and school officials then child protective services were called.  The students were not injured by the incident, but the school district has launched an investigation and banned the teacher from the campus.

USA: California wildfires have disrupted school for a quarter of a million students

Maine Public reported about how the wildfires in California have cause disruption across dozens of school districts, cancelling classes for 260,000 students. While schools are slowly coming back, classes may not resume for weeks.  There are other issues that have arisen including health risks due to smoke and poor air quality.

New Zealand: Christchurch school fire being treated as suspicious

According to Radio New Zealand, fire crews put out a blaze in a school that they believed could have been lit deliberately. A Fire and Emergency spokesman said the fire broke out in the school hall which is currently under construction. Police and a fire investigator are investigating the suspicious blaze.