The information in the Weekly Wrap is aggregated from other news sources to provide you with news that is relevant to the education sector across Australia and worldwide. Each paragraph is a summary of the subject matter covered in the particular news article. The information does not necessarily reflect the views of CompliSpace.

AUSTRALIA

School playgrounds being used for terrorism recruitment, Minister warns

According to 9news, school playgrounds are being used as potential terrorism recruitment centres, with graphic videos being shared with vulnerable children, the Federal Government has warned. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil has joined the nation's spy chief in warning that terror groups are converting Australian teenagers as young as thirteen. She told the Australia-NZ Counter Terrorism Summit recently that she was briefed by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) about a case involving teenagers radicalising children in the school playground. In the case, a group of teenagers targeted lonely or vulnerable children, including those who had been bullied, and flattered them with compliments to befriend them. The teens then manipulated their targets, showing them increasingly violent Islamic State propaganda videos including beheadings. More than half of ASIO's highest priority investigative cases are minors, some as young as 13 years old.

Improving menstrual health education in schools

According to Teacher Magazine, while menstrual health education is indirectly part of the Australian Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum, it is not currently mandated for schools to teach students about menstrual health, leaving many students unsure of how to manage pain effectively and many teachers unaware of how this can impact students’ education. Dr Christina Curry, a senior lecturer at Western Sydney University and former HPE teacher, is the lead author of an article exploring some of the findings from a larger survey which indicated the need for better menstrual health education in Australian schools. Three key sub-themes emerged: the information students received about menstruation was “all just biology” rather than practical information, students were taught more about “the cause but not the effect” of menstrual pain, and menstrual health education came “too little, too late”, reaching students years after the beginning of puberty.

COVID-smart NSW HSC exams

According to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), COVID-smart protocols are now available on the NESA website for the 2022 HSC written exams. These protocols are informed by current NSW Health advice and will be updated if anything changes. The protocols include masks, cleaning and hygiene, arrival protocols, exam venues and alternative venues. Principals can access the full protocols via Schools Online.

Radioactive material discovered in Sydney high school science storeroom

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the NSW Department of Education is investigating how a radioactive substance ended up in a science storeroom at an eastern suburbs school after a teacher uncovered hazardous materials inside rock and mineral samples. NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Tuesday told a budget estimates hearing that no harm was posed to staff or students after a “very small amount of radioactive material” was found in a metal box in a science prep room at Randwick Girls’ High School last week. The discovery sparked a review by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), with a survey by scientists finding that the sample was significantly below the allowable annual radiation dose limit and that the risk to students and teachers was negligible. It is understood that the discovery was made while a teacher was using a Geiger counter, an instrument that can detect radiation.

Bondi school accused of misusing funding will stay open until end of September

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a Bondi school accused of siphoning government funding to pay unaccredited teachers through an external company and putting students’ safety at risk will stay open until 30 September. A ruling by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal this week backed a searing report that uncovered a litany of compliance and safety breaches at Yeshiva College, including the school’s failure to provide basic education to primary and secondary students, inconsistent enrolment records and that the head was “not a fit and proper person” to be operating a school. NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) said Yeshiva College was registered until the end of September, and NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell will consider the recommendation during this time. “While the school remains registered, students can continue attending. Should the school’s registration be cancelled, [chief executive] Rabbi Dovid Slavin will be prohibited from being a responsible person for a non-government school for a period of five years,” a spokesperson said. If the school’s registration is cancelled, NESA will ask for assistance from public and independent schools to take in the students.

Haileybury launches Victoria’s first private online school

According to The Educator, leading private school Haileybury has launched Victoria’s first private online school in a bid to break down geographical barriers to teaching and learning. Dubbed “Pangea”, the virtual school has been under development for several years but is now taking enrolments after receiving approval from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA). The new school, which has been inundated with inquiries from interested students, will be available for students from Years 5 to 12 with learning delivered online in classes of approximately 10 students. The typical school week includes a “bespoke blend” of live instruction, prepared video content, assessment tasks and one-on-one or small group-based time with subject teachers. Derek Scott, Haileybury CEO and principal, said Pangea has significant potential to be an alternative schooling model and ultimately a game-changer for education.

Melbourne schoolgirl identifies as a cat and her school is supporting her assumed identity

According to the Herald Sun, students are being allowed to act out animal identities in schools in a bid to support their mental health needs. A Year 8 student at a private school in Melbourne identifies as a cat, and as long as she does her schoolwork, the school is supporting her assumed identity. Although she is “phenomenally bright”, she is understood not to be verbal at school. “No one seems to have a protocol for students identifying as animals, but the approach has been that if it doesn’t disrupt the school, everyone is being supportive,” a source close to the family said. “The behaviour is being normalised.” The school did not confirm the enrolment but said that they have students who “present with a range of issues, from mental health, anxiety or identity issues. Our approach is always unique to the student and will take into account professional advice and the wellbeing of the student,” the school said.

Letters dock pay for hundreds of unvaccinated Queensland teachers

According to the Courier Mail, hundreds of Queensland teachers have been left reeling after receiving letters informing them that their pay will be docked over 18 weeks because they refused to have COVID-19 vaccinations. In an emailed letter, Queensland Department of Education assistant director-general human resources Anne Crowley told the teachers that she could incrementally reduce their pay by the maximum penalty over 20 weeks. However, the email alerts the Department staff to a final decision of cutting their pay back by an incremental reduction over 18 weeks. All unvaccinated teachers were under investigation for failing to obey a direction from the Department and were suspended without pay from December 2021. Under the Public Service Act, if a teacher is being investigated, they are suspended on full pay unless it is a criminal charge. The letter said that the Department had “lost trust” in the teachers and claimed that the teachers had “acted inappropriately.”

“Optimistic” child protection workers leave kids at risk, South Australian Premier concedes

According to The Advertiser, misguided “optimism” among child protection workers that struggling parents will overcome drug addiction, family violence or mental illness may be leaving children at risk, the South Australian Premier has conceded. Peter Malinauskas has confirmed that the scope of a review being undertaken by former Police Commissioner Mal Hyde includes examining whether frontline workers are keeping kids with their families at the expense of their safety. As far back as 2016 a Royal Commission warned that “excessive” and “naive” optimism about the likelihood that dysfunctional families could improve safety in their homes was leaving children in harm’s way. Asked yesterday if he believed that this was still the case, Mr Malinauskas said, “I am concerned that that is the case, absolutely.”

Bullying prevention and response support tools and resources for South Australian schools

The South Australian Department for Education has released tools and resources for schools to support educators to prevent and respond to bullying in South Australian schools. This includes professional development around recognising and responding to bullying, bullying and cyberbullying policy and procedures, and support around the physical environment to support bullying prevention. These resources are available to Department for Education schools, Catholic Education South Australia and the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia.

Christian schools fear closure if Western Australian discrimination laws strengthened

The Age reports that the peak national body representing Christian schools has “grave concerns” that schools will close if new laws dramatically reducing their ability to preference staff and students of faith go ahead. Last week, Western Australian Attorney-General John Quigley announced broad support for 163 recommendations to improve the state’s anti-discrimination laws following a Law Reform Commission of Western Australia review of the outdated Equal Opportunity Act. One of the key reforms is an “inherent requirement test” that will force religious schools to prove religious belief or activity is an essential requirement of the job. Australian Association of Christian Schools executive officer Vanessa Cheng said that the change would make it difficult for religious schools to employ staff and preference families in enrolment who shared the beliefs of the school.

Student exchange programs resume with caution after COVID-19 disruption, but some delays persist in Western Australia

ABC News reports that exchange programs across Australia were thrown into turmoil when COVID-19 created uncertainty about international travel. Universities, farms and high schools all run programs that send students overseas to experience different cultures and bring their international counterparts to experience Australia. All of these programs had to be suspended. But while some programs have recently resumed, others are still in stasis. Western Australia's Department of Education has not started accepting forms from exchange students to join its classrooms, meaning Rotary Youth Exchange students will not return to the state until July 2023. "Arrangements have begun to resume student exchange programs in Western Australia as soon as possible, in a safe way and based on current health advice," said Lisa Rodgers, the Western Australian Department of Education Director-General. Outgoing exchanges will resume even later, in July 2024.

INTERNATIONAL

“Unacceptable” waits for children with an eating disorder put pressure on school nurses (United Kingdom)

According to Nursing in Practice, rapid investment in the school nursing workforce is needed, sector leaders have said, as data shows that children and young people with an eating disorder are facing unacceptable waits for urgent care. National Health Service (NHS) England data on wait times for children and young people (CYP) with an eating disorder has shown that 44 per cent of CYP considered urgent cases have been waiting for over 12 weeks for treatment. School and Public Health Nurses Association (SAPHNA) CEO, Sharon White, told Nursing in Practice that, “urgent investment into the school nursing workforce is desperately needed so that they can, through their specialist public health roles, prevent, identify and offer early help to prevent escalation of all mental health issues including eating disorders,” adding that during the wait for appointments many will deteriorate further and then take much longer to recover.

School shootings in the United States more than tripled in 2021–22 school year, a new report reveals (United States of America)

ABC News reports that school gun violence incidents in the United States almost quadrupled in the 2021 to 2022 school year, with 59 people killed in that time. A report released by nonpartisan group Everytown for Gun Safety revealed that there were 193 gun violence incidents in school grounds between 1 August 2021 and 31 May 2022. In the previous school year there were 62 incidents. There have so far been 674 mass shootings in the US in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The report also found that there were four "key facts" about school "shooting incidences". First, those firing guns on school grounds often had a connection to the school. Second, the guns were predominantly coming from home, family or friends rather than purchased by the shooter themselves. Third, there were almost always warning signs. Fourth, gun violence disproportionately impacted non-white students.

White supremacist standing for school board prompts call for rule change (New Zealand)

According to 1News, a Christchurch councillor says that rules for school board elections need to be tightened after a man jailed for sharing Christchurch terror attack footage put his name forward. Philip Arps was jailed for 21 months for sharing footage of the terrorist attacks of 15 March 2019. He put his name forward for a trustee position at Te Aratai College, formerly known as Linwood College. Christchurch City councillor for Heathcote Sarah Templeton, who has children at the school, said that a grey area in the rules allowed him to run. Federation of Islamic Associations chair Abdur Razzaq said that Arps was probably aware that he would not get the position but wanted to provoke a reaction. Razzaq said that there was a trend of white supremacists wanting take part in elections, such as boards of trustees, in order to bring their hate into the mainstream.