Number of suspensions and expulsions in the Gold Coast region

NEARLY 900 students have been expelled across the Gold Coast in the past five years as local schools crack down on bad behaviour, including children bringing guns, knives and other weapons to school. FULL SCHOOL LIST

CHILDREN assaulting and threatening other kids and teachers with a gun, knuckle dusters, glass, knives, scissors and other weapons contributed to more than 25,000 suspensions and expulsions across Gold Coast state schools in the past five years.

A Bulletin analysis of Education Department data shows students were more likely to receive short suspensions, with 61 Coast schools issuing 22,749 of these.

There were 1416 long suspensions and 881 exclusions over the five years.

The special investigation shows there were 87 incidents involving physical misconduct with a range of weapons at state schools in the southeast education region in 2016-17.

Five of the region’s larger schools had the most disciplinary absences.

Children and young people are facing tough punishments when they break significant rules at school.

Upper Coomera State College recorded 2239 suspensions and expulsions across 2013–2017.

Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School had 1652, Southport State High School 1568, Pacific Pines State High School 1515 and Helensvale State High School 1448.

The Bulletin sought comment from local principals but they did not respond.

Queensland Teachers Union Gold Coast representative Jodie Walsh said suspensions and expulsions were a last resort.

“Persistent misbehaviour can disrupt the class for other students, and so students who choose not to behave responsibly must learn that there are consequences for those choices,” Ms Walsh said.

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Education Minister Grace Grace urged carers to be good role models and for students to consider their actions.

“There is no place for poor behaviour, bullying or violence in our schools,” Ms Grace said.

Queensland Secondary Principals Association president Mark Breckenridge said “disciplinary absences’’ helped maintain safety at schools.

“There is no place for poor behaviour, bullying or violence in our schools,” Ms Grace said

“They are not the first point of action, they are a stage approach to maintaining discipline and sometimes a disciplinary action has to be applied,” he said.

A Department of Education spokesman said each school had a written plan that spelled out how schools managed unruly kids.

“The Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students ... outlines that there are certain types of behaviour serious enough to warrant a significant consequence such as exclusion,” the spokesman said.

“For example, a student who uses a weapon at school could expect to be proposed for exclusion.”

At the other end of the suspension spectrum, it was possible a student might be removed for just a matter of hours and told to return the next day provided they abided by the rules.

Earlier this week it was revealed in a separate report based on WorkCover data that physical attacks by students on teachers in Queensland schoolyards were increasing.

The report said nearly 400 workers compensation claims relating to assaults or exposure to violence in state and private schools were lodged between July 1, 2017, and June 15 this year. Teacher unions warned of incidents involving chairs being thrown at teachers and stalking.

Children even brought knives to school

Push for more funding to help at-risk students

MORE Federal Government funding could be the key to stopping students from misbehaving and having to be removed from school.

The Queensland Teachers Union urged Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to reverse a “$1.9 billion cut in public school funding” so among other priorities, principals would be able to hire more guidance counsellors to help children and young people with behavioural issues.

The Federal Government provides 20 per cent of state school funding and 80 per cent of funding for private schools, QTU Gold Coast representative Jodie Walsh said.

“The QTU would like to see more guidance officers, particularly in primary and special schools, to help children manage their behaviour and overcome any short or long-term problems they are having,” Ms Walsh said.

“The Fair Funding Now campaign is also dedicated to making sure that federal school funding is based on student need, so that students who need extra help in the classroom can get that help, which can improve their behaviour.”

Mr Birmingham said there was sufficient federal money flowing into state schools.

“This means there’s no reason schools won’t be able to continue to support teachers and new or existing initiatives, such as specialist teachers or targeted intervention programs,” he said.

“Also, following a recent review into how to ensure our record and growing investment in schools is used as effectively as possible, we will work with the states and territories and school systems to ensure schools and teachers are armed with the most effective and evidence-based methods and reforms to help deliver better outcomes for Australian students.”

Children had brought guns to Coast schools.

Fears expulsions might be ‘misguided’

REMOVING kids from school can be “misguided” and lead to more problems as they grow up, a leading child psychologist says.

Michael Duhig said children might behave disruptively when certain needs were not met but it could be hard to pinpoint why.

“In my experience suspensions and expulsions are a misguided attempt at help,” the University of Queensland School of Medicine associate lecturer said.

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“These are kids who need help with whatever difficulties they are having with reading, anxiety or other issues but they don’t know how to put their hands up and ask for help.

“They are not getting their needs met in order to thrive academically and we know if they are excluded they will be missing out on social interaction, learning and the big-picture social determinants for health.”

Mr Duhig said carers, support staff and teachers needed to find out what kids needed and a way to meet those needs before resorting to suspensions and expulsions.

“If we can identify what the child needs, this can get them into a better headspace to learn and to enjoy the social aspect of school,” he said.

FULL LIST OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY ABSENCES ON THE GOLD COAST

Number of disciplinary absences across Gold Coast schools 2013-2017:

Short suspensions: 22,767

Long suspensions: 1416

Exclusions: 881

TOTAL: 25,064

Upper Coomera State College: 2239

Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School: 1652

Southport State High School: 1568

Pacific Pines State High School: 1515

Helensvale State High School: 1448

Robina State High School: 1393

Benowa State High School: 1253

Coombabah State High School: 1164

Ormeau Woods State High School: 1147

Varsity College: 1071

Merrimac State High School: 989

Miami State High School: 964

Elanora State High School: 889

Keebra Park State High School: 853

Pimpama State Secondary College: 767

Nerang State School: 443

Coombabah State School: 338

Currumbin State School: 316

Miami State School: 299

Elanora State School: 289

Oxenford State School: 236

William Duncan State School: 223

Coomera Rivers State School: 222

Labrador State School: 219

Worongary State School: 214

Park Lake State School: 206

Southport State School: 205

Norfolk Village State School: 193

Bellevue Park State School: 191

Arundel State School: 182

Musgrave Hill State School: 164

Pimpama State Primary College: 163

Caningeraba State School: 158

Pacific Pines State School: 147

Mudgeeraba State School: 142

Mudgeeraba Creek State School: 122

Robina State School: 113

Gaven State School: 109

Helensvale State School: 106

Cedar Creek State School: 97

Clover Hill State School: 93

Coolangatta State School: 92

Highland Reserve State School: 91

Coomera Springs State School: 80

Ormeau State School: 73

Biggera Waters State School: 70

Broadbeach State School: 70

Merrimac State School: 70

Ashmore State School: 64

Benowa State School: 63

Palm Beach State School: 56

Burleigh Heads State School: 46

Southport Special School: 39

Surfers Paradise State School: 39

Gilston State School: 36

Tallebudgera State School: 27

Pimpama State School: 10

Ingleside State School: 7

Currumbin Valley State School: 5

Mudgeeraba Special School: 3

Numinbah Valley State School: 3

Source: Department of Education