AUSTRALIA

Teen sues state over alleged bullying at Kerang Technical High School
The Herald Sun wrote about a bullied teen suing the State of Victoria for alleged abuse and harassment at the hands of students and a teacher.  Writs filed at the Supreme Court of Victoria claim 33 instances of negligence. The incidents include an English teacher allegedly vilifying the teen front the class and making derogatory comments about her in front of a class, students threatening the claimant, locking the claimant in the change rooms and assaulting her during physical education.  The writs claim that the ‘school and its servants failed to stop the abuse, provide adequate supervision of students or teachers, to have any adequate system for maintaining discipline, to protect the girl from her tormentors, to heed her degree of upset, to heed the numerous complaints, or to have an appropriate bullying policy.’

Police allege assistant Principal posed as girl online to lure boy victims
News.com.au reported about a Sydney assistant school principal being charged with sexually abusing 15 students over a 10 year period.  According to NSW Child Abuse Squad detectives, the assistant principal would allegedly lure victims into classrooms by using a fake profile of a teenage girl.

Tighter public school cleaner contracts to stamp out exploitation
The Canberra Times reported how cleaning companies tendering for work in ACT public schools will face higher scrutiny under reforms into of how cleaning contracts are awarded.  According to tender documents released this month, up to 240,000 cleaning hours per year are available across 87 ACT public schools.  Also under new rules, this means that no one cleaning company can clean all ACT government schools.

Canberra school cleaners could share $300,000 in unpaid wages after Federal Court win
ABC News reported about a group of Canberra school cleaners receiving thousands of dollars in back pay after the Federal Court decided their employer had been underpaying them for years. The court found the cleaning company breached its workplace agreement by failing to pay workers the correct rates on school holidays and in some cases failing to pay leave loading.

Islamic School of Canberra has funding revoked
The Canberra Times reported about the Islamic School of Canberra appealing the Federal Government’s decision to revoke funding after a long-running investigation into the school’s independence, governance and fiscal management.  The Federal Education Minister announced that $1 million dollars in Federal funding, covering 80 per cent of the school’s operational costs will be cut as of 1 July 2017, as the school failed to meet the standards and expectations placed on them.

Teachers burning out as they take on classes outside expertise: ACER report
The Sydney Morning Herald reported about a quarter of years 7 to 10 teachers and 15 per cent of year 11 to 12 teachers, teaching subjects that they have not learnt at all or since they were in first year university.  According to Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) figures, 37 per cent of teachers in their first or second year of teaching are in ‘out-of-field’ roles compared to 25 per cent of teachers with five years’ experience.

INTERNATIONAL

Zimbabwe: No kidding around: Zimbabwe schools accept goats for tuition fees
According to 7 News, Zimbabwe’s Education Minister has come up with a solution to rising school fees in the nation.  If parents cannot pay for their children’s school fees they can offer livestock or work.   Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic crisis in years and in December the Zimbabwe Government sold 35 elephants to China to raise money for conservation.

New Zealand: Teacher struck off for sexual relationship with student
Newshub reported about a male teacher who has been banned from teaching after having a sexual relationship with a female student after her mother found 400 text messages between the pair.  The student has since left the school and the pair are still in a relationship.

USA: Teacher Charged For Stealing Almost $5,000 From Students
CBS Pittsburgh news reported about a teacher who is facing charges for stealing almost $5,000 from students and their parents.  The teacher was allegedly collecting money for school sponsored international summer trips.  Detectives during their investigations discovered that the high school does not sponsor or participate in any international trips.

UK: Teacher banned for life after orgy and pays $24k in "silence money"
The New Zealand Herald reported about a teacher who took part in an orgy with a female student, then later paid $24,000 in “silence money” to not to tell the school.  The teacher has now been band from teaching for life.  The teacher was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.