Australia

ACT launches healthy eating program in schools

The ACT government has launched the 'Food&ME' curriculum, designed to teach primary school children about healthy eating. According to the Canberra Times, the ACT government is also looking at banning soft drinks in schools and introducing a traffic-light food rating system.

Two charged over Christian school abuse

Two people have been charged, following an incident in which abuse was yelled from a car at a Christian school in NSW. The car was also alleged to have had the Islamic State flag displayed on its window. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the two people charged are an 18 year-old man and a 14 year-old boy.

WA schools adopt private school style uniforms

13 of the 50 WA public schools established since 2007 have adopted private school style uniforms, in a trend reported by Perth Now. In WA, school uniforms became compulsory in 2004 and denim was banned from schools in 2007.

NSW to set up HSC cheating register

The Board of Studies in NSW has launched a register that will record malpractice by students in the HSC. The course, offence, nature of the assessment and penalty will be recorded, but the names of the students and their schools will not. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that this new register comes seven years after a 2007 inquiry investigating cheating in take-home exams.

ACARA looking into online NAPLAN exams

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is looking into administering the NAPLAN test online. ABC News reports that this will allow them to tailor questions to individual students, as they progress through the exam, gaining a more precise assessment of the student.

International

Teacher allegedly lures 15 year old student using Twitter

A teacher in the US is alleged to have used Twitter to lure a 15 year old student before having sex with her, according to the Daily Mail. The teacher had also been using Twitter to promote a 'lemon shot challenge' to raise funds for his 4 year old daughter, who has paediatric cancer.

UK student claims he was hit by teacher

A UK teacher is alleged to have hit a student, in an incident the staff member described as being 'only a tap'. The student was subsequently escorted by classmates to the report the incident to the head of year, according to Leicester Mercury.

Canadian teacher suspended for putting 'I'm gay' sign on student

A Canadian teacher has been suspended for writing 'I'm gay' on masking tape and sticking it on the back of the student, and according to CBC News he described it as 'horseplay'. The teacher had apparently received earlier warnings about his conduct in class.

Parents pay up to £50,000 to groom children for private school entry in UK

The Telegraph, in the UK reports that 'foreign parents are paying up to £50,000 for advice on how to hunt, shop at Savile Row and even eat soup properly' in order to gain admission into private schools. The clamour for places is said to come mainly from parents from China and Russia, who are seeking places for their children at the most elite UK schools.

Backlash over US Catholic school's decision to fire pregnant, gay teacher

The Guardian has reported on a backlash against a Catholic high school in the US over the firing of a pregnant, gay teacher. The school is apparently reviewing the morality clauses in its employment contracts. An online petition has gathered over 70,000 signatures.