More than 70 Victorian educators formally suspended or disqualified since 2019

A Scotch College music teacher and a primary teacher selling cannabis to kids are among a surge in educators being dumped from Victorian classrooms.

Almost a month after one of its senior music staff members was suspended by the teaching regulator, Scotch College has informed parents.

Parents from the prestigious Hawthorn school found out about the April 15 interim suspension of Peter Mander — which has lead to a Victorian Institute of Teaching investigation — by letter from principal Tom Batty.

The letter, dated May 11, does not name the educator, whose identity was revealed by the Herald Sun.

Mr Mander is the latest of more than 70 Victorian educators to be formally suspended or disqualified in Victoria since 2019.

A statement said Scotch College did not believe the matter related to Mr Mander’s time at the school but was historical.

“The VIT (Victorian Institute of Teaching) has initiated an enquiry into the matter and the teacher is on leave pending its further direction,” it said.

Parents confirmed on Monday they had yet to be formally notified by the school.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting Mr Mander has done anything wrong, only that allegations have been made and that he has been suspended while those allegations are investigated.

Peter Mander

The suspension comes as educators from private and public schools across the state have been prohibited from teaching by the VIT.

The number of dumped teachers has surged in recent years, with 17 so far in 2021, 33 in 2020, 23 in 2019 and 15 in 2018.

A spokeswoman for the VIT said new levels of community awareness and increased powers had contributed to improving child safety.

She said the recent Royal Commission, rollout of the Reportable Conduct Scheme and realignment of the Working with Children process “has resulted in an increase in the number of cases reported to VIT in recent years”.

Mr Mander’s biography links to him to a range of august Melbourne institutions. He worked until 2019 at the Universities of Melbourne and Monash and until 2017 was a regular in the choir at St Francis’ Church in Melbourne.

The VIT list includes a teacher posing as teenage girl in order to entrap more than 70 male students, an early childhood teacher who sold cannabis to students, and educators who raped children on campus and had sex with students on school grounds.

Private schools with suspended or disqualified teaching staff since 2019 include St Kevin’s College, Camberwell Grammar, Beaconhills College and Catholic Ladies’ College in Eltham.

State schools include Wonthaggi Primary, Kyabram P-12 and Westernport Secondary College.

Many teachers suspended or disqualified by the registration body are now registered as sole traders, with some offering their services as tutors and proof readers and others working in childcare training, communications and hotel customer service.

One worker suspended on an interim basis in 2019, Cleo Yerolemis, lists herself on LinkedIn as a volunteer teacher assistant at three schools.

The schools all denied recent involvement with the young woman, who was found guilty of theft, fraud and drug possession.

Another teacher suspended in 2019 lists her employment on LinkedIn as a trainer at an early childhood service. A spokeswoman for the facility said the teacher was not a current employee and hadn’t worked there from 2017 onwards.

Gail McHardy, president of Parents Victoria, said the register was important to protect children.

Robert Sebbens

“The royal commissions have taught us to do it better in the future. So it’s important their safety is paramount and the regulator is given the job to do what they have to do,” Ms McHardy said.

Deb James, general secretary of the Independent Education Union, said the VIT needed to be properly resourced to investigate all credible claims in a quick and fair manner that “doesn’t keep good teachers away from their classrooms for any longer than necessary”.

“These new levels of community awareness regarding teacher conduct, and VIT’s powers to suspend registration on an interim basis, have contributed significantly to improving child safety,” she said.

Australian Education Union Victorian Branch president Meredith Peace said any person working in a volunteer capacity in a Victorian public school was required to have a working with children check.

“The union provides support and advice to our members on a range of matters relating to registration with the VIT,” Ms Peace said.

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria executive director Jim Miles said there was “no place for any form of unprofessional conduct in Catholic schools”.

He said all teachers in Catholic schools must hold current VIT teacher registration.