School Governance

April 2: School Governance Weekly Wrap

Written by Ideagen CompliSpace | Mar 31, 2015 1:00:00 PM

Australia 

Qld School locked down by toy gun

A school in Qld has been locked down, after a 13-year-old boy allegedly brought a toy gun to school. The Courier Mail reports that the lockdown was lifted by about 9:50am.

Principal who allegedly said Islamic state was a Western plot summoned to meeting with Minister

The Age reports that a principal who allegedly said that the Islamic State was a plot by Western countries has been summoned to a meeting with the Minister. The comments have been condemned, and the school is yet to respond.

Tas government criticised for failing to release enrolment numbers

The Tas Government is under fire for apparently failing to release student enrolment numbers. According to news.com.au, this comes in the midst of a debate about school mergers.

NSW principal boycotts oval over golf balls

In NSW, a school principal has stopped using a public oval after four children were hit with golf balls. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the oval is located next to a golf course. In the past, the students have apparently been advised to wear bicycle helmets.

Calls to review funding of Vic school in the wake of Child Abuse allegations

ABC News reports on calls for the funding of a Jewish school in Vic to be reviewed after revelations in the Child Abuse Royal Commission about past sexual abuse. The debate is focusing on the governance of the school, especially at the time of the alleged abuse.

International

Rising teacher misconduct reports in NZ

In New Zealand, the NZ Herald reports that 'reports of teacher misconduct and incompetence are on the rise'. The statistics were released by the New Zealand Teachers Council under freedom-of-information type legislation.

Four in 10 UK teachers quit within a year

In the UK, the statistic that four in 10 teachers quit within a year of qualifying has been reported by the Guardian. This comes amidst a debate about creating more autonomous government schools.

Saturday jobs bad for UK Teenagers

The Guardian, in the UK, also reports that Saturday jobs can have a damaging effect on teenagers' exam grades. The causes include having less time to study, but also having extra money to engage in risky behaviours.

Staff members allegedly caught exchanging drugs not investigated by police

Two schools staff members in New Zealand who were allegedly caught exchanging cannabis in a staffroom, have been suspended but were not investigated by Police, according to 3News. The incident was handled by the school 'in-house'.

US doctors are against drug testing in schools

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released a policy statement opposing drug testing in schools, according to Time. This is because 'there’s not enough evidence to show it’s effective, and because random testing can damage relationships between students and their schools'.