AUSTRALIA

Tribunal bars teacher from teaching until 2023 over sexual relationship with a female student
The Courier Mail reported about a teacher being barred from teaching until 2023 after having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old high school student.  The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) heard about how the teacher shared his sexual fantasies, declared his love for the student and spoke about his marriage plans.  QCAT also heard about how the teacher and the student sent more than 6700 text messages, many of which were sexually explicit and how the pair lived together three months after the student graduated. QCAT said, “This conduct is very serious and any teacher who finds themselves attracted to a student must understand the consequences if they pursue that attraction.'’

Alleged Riverland high school massacre plotter ‘extremely likely’ to try to carry out plan if released on bail, court hears
The Advertiser reported about the South Australian Youth Court hearing where a 16-year-old boy and his 18-year-old co-accused planned to commit a massacre at a school.  The 16-year-old boy has been denied bail after prosecutors were warned he was highly skilled at making weapons and extremely likely to pursue the plot if released.  Prosecutors also said the duo took steps to obtain guns and make other weapons, and even tested some of their weapons near their intended target.

Melbourne’s Catholic Archdiocese let paedophile priests free to abuse children: report
According to the Herald Sun, a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse report has revealed a culture of secrecy inside Melbourne’s Catholic Archdiocese leaving paedophile priests free to abuse scores of children.  The report was most scathing about former Archbishop Frank Little (Cardinal Pell’s predecessor) who headed the diocese from 1974-1996 for organising a wide scale cover-up, with the report claiming he failed to act on scores of abuse complaints.

NSW teachers to be given free degrees under push to attract more young staff to the bush
ABC News wrote about a NSW Government incentive to pay off the HECs debts of 60 graduate teachers each year if they sign up for a position at one of 150 eligible rural and remote schools around NSW.  There are currently more than 200 staff vacancies at rural schools.  Scholarships will be available to HSC or university students looking to study teaching, including a $7,500 annual stipend to assist student teachers with their studies and a $6,000 sign on bonus when they start their new job.

Girls from school claim their teacher failed to prepare them for HSC
The Daily Telegraph reported about a non-government school being forced into investigating claims from students that their teacher failed to properly prepare them for the HSC. Nine recent graduates are asking for extra marks claiming they were given incomplete practice exams and been forced to learn a sheet of formulas that comes standard with every exam.

Parents claim bullying crisis at Cairns West State School
According to the Cairns Post, bullying has reached crisis levels at a Cairns school with several parents removing their children and claiming they have grown suicidal.  A crisis meeting was held between the school’s principal and 40 parents and carers because the school’s P&C association has been in caretaker mode. Parents have told the Cairns Post violent gangs have formed in the primary school with children as young as five being assaulted in the playground.

School teacher exploits legal loophole
Sky News reported about how a school teacher has exploited a legal loophole allowing him to sleep with a student on three occasions.  The teacher told the court that the 17-year-old girl was not technically in his care, as he did not have any classes with her.  The teacher’s legal team additionally argued that the girl was not “under instruction,” as he did not have any classes with the student. The teacher has been charged with three counts of having sex with a person between the age of seventeen and eighteen under his care.

INTERNATIONAL

Canada: Teacher's aide charged with kicking student in wheelchair
According to the National Post, a special education teacher’s assistant has been charged with kicking a 16-year-old non-verbal student who was in a wheelchair.  Police say that two other teaching assistants allege that the teacher's assistant lifted her foot and made contact with the back of the chair, pushing the boy, because he was going too slow.