Rockhampton teacher speaks out after witnessing three classes combine

A Rockhampton teacher and parent who lost her job to the vaccine mandate has spoken out after hearing at a school assembly that three classes were being combined due to a shortage of relief teachers. FULL DETAILS HERE.

A Rockhampton parent and experienced teacher has raised the alarm after it was announced at a local school assembly on Friday three classes would be combined due to a shortage of relief teachers - with up to 50-75 students potentially forced into a class with just one teacher.

The mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was invited to attend her child’s school assembly where she said it was announced the school couldn’t get relief teachers and had to combine three classes.

“I believe it was three teachers that couldn’t be there,” she said.

“At the very least that’s 75 children that were put in a large class size and means those children’s needs aren’t being met.

“They are not being supervised properly, not being educated properly and suffering as a result.”

A search for teaching jobs on government website SmartJobs for the Rockhampton region, which also encompasses Gladstone, Capricorn Coast and some western schools, returns a result of 65 listings - some for ‘multiple positions’, with dozens of jobs for private schools in the region also listed on Seek.

The mother, who is a qualified teacher and unvaccinated against Covid-19, said she had a job lined up at a private school in Rockhampton starting in January but was unable to work in that position due to the vaccine mandate that was announced in November 2021.

She said she had anaphylaxis and was unable to get a medical exemption and was told by doctors that it was not a contraindication for the vaccine.

However, she said doctors were not able to guarantee the vaccine wouldn’t kill her.

“I am a single mum and I need to be able to look after my child,” she said.

“I really don’t want to die because of this vaccine so I chose not to have it because they couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t kill me.

“There was a lot of hostility from the doctors in trying to get that exemption.”

She said she was on Centrelink and “barely scraping by” and is calling for the vaccine mandate for teachers to be scrapped.

“The fact is they are saying they don’t have enough relief teachers to a fully qualified relief teacher at their assembly,” she said.

“That principal knew I was a relief teacher and not working because I am not vaccinated and they have special powers to be able to give teachers privilege to teach in schools that are unvaccinated.

“It is affecting people’s long-term employment prospects. It is unfair in regards to who can get a job and is based on who has complied with this medical procedure.

“I would rather be earning $105,000 this year and there is no reason why I shouldn’t because I didn’t do anything wrong.”

She said she contacted federal member for Capricornia Michelle Landry and member for Rockhampton Barry O’Rourke on Friday, however, neither would talk to her.

“I was told on Friday the MPs don’t have time to deal with me on this issue,” she said.

Federal member for Capricornia Michelle Landry. Picture: Gary Ramage

She said she had also contacted Ms Landry and Mr O’Rourke three months ago to talk to them about the vaccine mandate, however, they again would not talk to her.

“I’ve just received pro-vaccine emails saying the best thing you could do is get vaccinated for yourself and the community,” she said.

“That’s not the issue, the issue is not being able to get a job.

“It is my right as a citizen and as a constituent to talk to my local MP and they say they just don’t have time for you. I want to speak to them at the very least.

“These schools are understaffed and our politicians are failing us because they are not hearing our views and they are not representing us in parliament.

“The mandates need to end.

“Our kids in schools are being crammed into classes of 50-75 students per teacher and that’s not okay.

“What is going to happen during the flu season where they have struggled to get relief teachers? What is their plan for the future because it is going to be a big problem.”

The vaccination mandate has compounded staff shortages in rural and regional schools in Central Queensland and the state, with Moranbah State High School having 10 vacancies for 2022, including a guidance officer and a head of department, and struggling to fill the positions.

“This teacher shortage is not because teachers don’t want to work, it’s because these vaccine mandates still apply,” the mother said.

“If they were lifted all these teachers would be back in jobs.

“Minister Grace Grace is saying there is no problem regarding staffing levels with teachers but that’s rubbish.”

A spokesman for the Department of Education said a temporary measure was put in place at the Rockhampton school on Friday to amalgamate classes.

“Just as they do every day, schools will make local decisions to accommodate any staff absences and ensure students continue to learn and remain engaged,” the spokesman said.

“It is important to note that none of the amalgamated classes exceeded class size limits, and this was only a temporary measure for the day.

Member for Rockhampton Barry O’Rourke. Picture: Timothy Cox

“The department is constantly investing in our teaching workforce, and we have a number of initiatives to attract and retain high quality teachers, including in remote and regional areas.”

Ms Landry said she believed the person in question received replies from her office on October 19, 2021 and February 11.

“With over 110,000 people in the electorate I’m physically unable to meet with everyone however my staff did offer to assist with the original email inquiries,” she said.

“I wrote to the premier on March 3 calling for an end to state-imposed mandates.

“My office also recommended contacting the local state MPs as the inquiry is solely under the responsibility of the Queensland Government.”

Mr O’Rourke said he was not always able to respond directly to every constituent.

“However, my staff provide me with feedback from any contact at my office and I am ready to represent them to the relevant Minister,” he said.

“Should there be any concerns in relation to staffing at a school, they should initially be raised with the principal of that school.

“Schools have made plans to address any disruptions to staffing due to the small number of workers who are not fully vaccinated.

“Where schools do have unvaccinated staff, this is limited to one or two people in most cases. The department has around 5000 fully vaccinated relief teachers who are ready to work in our state schools if required.

“There was also announced additional measures to minimise the impact of the Omicron variant, which helped students, teachers and staff return safely to schools on February 7.

“I will always represent my constituents and raise their questions with the Education Minister.”

Teachers’ Union reacts

The Queensland Teachers’ Union has expressed concern with the situation some regional and remote schools were experiencing with maintaining staffing levels during the current phase of the pandemic.

“The Queensland Teachers’ Union are consulting with members in affected areas and seeking feedback on possible solutions to help alleviate the immediate pressures these school communities are experiencing,” a spokeswoman for the Queensland Teachers’ Union said.

“These issues are a priority for the Queensland Teachers’ Union and we are seeking a commitment from the government to address shortages in our regional and remote schools, so that our teachers can teach, school leaders can lead and our students can learn.”

Member for Callide Colin Boyce. Picture: Contributed

Member for Callide Colin Boyce said he was stunned to hear Education Minister Grace Grace’s statement in question time about the lack of complaints following the vaccine mandates introduced in late 2021.

“I certainly have received complaints about the vaccine mandates and the amount of highly qualified, professional, caring teachers and staff who have lost their jobs as a result of these mandates,” Mr Boyce said.

“From November 2021 when they were first announced, more than 2000 emails concerned with the enforced vaccinations for workplaces from genuine Queenslanders reaching out for help from their parliament representatives, worried about our small businesses, hospitals, childcare centres, and schools and how they were going to cope with their reduced options for their staff.

“Since the statement by Minister Grace, I have received an additional average of 50 emails each day stating otherwise, steadily filling my inbox with complaints.”

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace speaks during Question Time at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

He said the current request from teachers was for evidence of Minister Grace’s statement that teaching staff absences had been an average of about 3.2 per cent.

“It would be helpful if the Minister released the absenteeism data from the last five years and Term 1 of 2022 to prove her statement,” he said.

“The Minister did admit that regional schools had suffered greater impact. I have over 60 schools in Callide, and this would certainly align with the staffing issues that I have been contacted over.

“It is time for the vaccine mandates to end. There is no logic to a vaccinated employee with Covid but without symptoms being at work, while a healthy unvaccinated employee cannot.”