Australia

Queensland teacher deregistered for sexual advances towards students

The Courier Mail reported that a Brisbane teacher has had his registration cancelled as a result of ‘disgraceful’ behaviour towards several students. The Queensland College of Teachers suspended the teacher’s registration in January and referred the matter to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal heard details of the highly inappropriate behaviour and sexual communications initiated by the teacher and ordered that he be deregistered and banned from applying for re-registration until after 30 June 2021.

Christian school accused of victimising 10-year-old transgender girl

A 10-year-old transgender girl was allegedly met with unauthorised counselling sessions and inappropriate conduct from staff at her Melbourne school after informing the principal of her gender dysphoria diagnosis, reports News.com. Charlotte* was sent to counselling sessions with the school chaplain without her parents’ knowledge, though the school denies that these sessions had anything to do with Charlotte’s desire to transition. Charlotte left the school after a teacher had “screamed at her” for joining in a boys’ only task, however the principal said that they acted in accordance with the Victorian Department of Education and Training’s guidelines on gender identity.

*Names have been changed.

Single sex schools in decline as co-education favoured

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the number of non-government single-sex schools in NSW has declined by 15 to 20 per cent over the past two decades. What’s interesting is that the number of single-sex government schools has remained largely steady over the same time, revealing that parents are still intent on sending their children to single-sex schools. The Herald reportedthat The Armidale School (NSW) would be admitting female students from next year for the first time in its 123 year history, making it the first GPS school to admit girls. The trend is set to continue with schools in Bankstown, Liverpool, Granville and Lismore preparing to embrace co-education from 2016.

Brisbane school has struck back against sacked director of rowing

Brisbane Boys’ College is defending a claim for $1.1 million in damages for wrongful termination and defamation of sacked director of rowing David Bellamy for not abiding by the school’s Christian values he agreed to at the time of employment, the Courier Mail reports. In the incident that precipitated his dismissal, Mr Bellamy allegedly addressed boys in Years 10-12 telling them not to ‘twirl their wangas’. Bellamy was dismissed by email one month later in February 2014. In his statement of claim filed in the Supreme Court of Queensland, Bellamy sought ‘not less’ than $450,000 for breach of contract and an additional $650,000 for defamation alleging that the wrongful dismissal has destroyed his career and publicly humiliated him.

Higher university entry standards for future teachers

The BOSTES has released a statement announcing a minimum of three Band 5 HSC results, including one in English, will be needed to enrol in an accredited undergraduate teaching degree from 2016. The entry requirements have been increased because of the profession’s academically rigorous nature and in hopes to ensure teaching degree students are high achievers who, as a result, will have improved job opportunities as teaching graduates. The increase is part of the NSW Government’s Great Teaching, Inspired Learning – A Blueprint for Action initiative which outlines 47 actions to improve the standards of teaching in NSW. The Government’s goal for this new requirement is for teaching to attract more of the brightest and motivated school leavers and career changers.

International

Don’t shred the evidence, judge warns ahead of child sex abuse inquiry

The Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Hon. Lowell Goddard DNZM, officially opened the Inquiry last week with an address that asked relevant institutions to take a proactive stance towards the Inquiry and to not prematurely destroy files or records that will later become required as evidence. In letters to various heads of organisations and institutions involved in the Inquiry, Goddard requested cooperation and transparency when it comes to releasing relevant documents. The Inquiry was established to investigate the extent to which institutions in England and Wales have discharged their duty of care to protect children against sexual abuse.

Nottinghamshire teacher guilty of standards breach by overestimating grades

The Nottingham Post reported that a teacher has been found guilty of breaching teaching standards by overestimating grades of various students to their parents and lying to management. At a teacher misconduct hearing it was found that the teacher had brought the profession into disrepute through unacceptable professional conduct by telling both teachers and parents ‘what they wanted to hear’. The teacher reasoned that his actions were a result of a great deal of stress and pressure from staff and parents for students to succeed.

Inadequate cleaning leaves teachers and students sick

Scoop Independent News in New Zealand reported that a recent study reveals a lack of cleaning standards across the education sector is having adverse health and financial effects on Kiwi schools. Beyond the unappealing visual appearance of an unclean school, a standard of cleaning and hygiene for the educational sector could be the key to reduce teacher and students’ risk of illness and effectively reduce absenteeism in schools.