The shocking number of teachers under investigation

A staggering 50 teachers under investigation have been left waiting more than a year for matters to be resolved, while a whopping 207 teachers across the state have been assessed as suitable for investigation.

Some 207 teachers have been assessed as suitable for investigation in Queensland.

A staggering 50 teachers under investigation have been left waiting more than a year for their matters to be resolved,, with the Department of Education confirming factors that can impact waiting times include ongoing criminal investigation by the Queensland Police Service or court proceedings.

A Question on Notice in State Parliament from Opposition education spokesman Christian Rowan revealed a whopping 207 teachers have been assessed as suitable for investigation in Queensland, with 63 matters pending and 144 investigations ongoing.

Fifty of those investigations have been underway for more than a year.

It comes after The Courier Mail reported earlier this year that 40 teachers and principals were on paid suspensions due to ongoing disciplinary matters which had cost Queensland taxpayers up to $4.9m in annual wages.

Dr Rowan said given the state’s teacher shortage, it just wasn’t good enough and “exposed Labor’s utter lack of accountability and leadership”.

“Teachers deserve the respect of having matters resolved quickly, not dragging on for years, but nothing will change unless we change the government,” he said.

“Is it any wonder teachers are leaving in droves when Labor doesn’t value or respect them and has failed to resource them.”

Dr Rowan said Labor had lost control of the state’s schools, with students falling further behind in reading, writing and numeracy, escalating violence against teachers and students, and skyrocketing drug use.

Opposition education spokesman Christian Rowan. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Queensland needs a fresh start and the LNP will deliver more teachers, safe classrooms and reduce red tape so kids can get the education they need,” he said.

Queensland Teachers’ Union vice-president Leah Olsson said the QTU advocated for timely and thorough investigations with transparent legal processes.

“Our members rely on the protection, experience, and advice from the legal professionals within the QTU to determine the best possible outcomes for all involved in serious matters,” she said.

Ms Olsson said the QTU acted ethically, legally and in line with community expectations and for this reason does not comment directly on matters before the courts, under investigation or hypothetical scenarios.

“Schools can be complex places, and no two incidents are the same,” she said.

A Department of Education Spokesman said factors that were considered and may potentially impact time frames could include whether the matter was subject of a criminal investigation by the Queensland Police Service or court proceedings.

“The department treats all student protection concerns with the highest importance,” they said.

“The department endeavours to resolve workplace investigation matters in a timely manner and seeks to continuously improve systems and case management practices.

“Workplace Investigations are conducted in accordance with the Workplace Investigations Directive 01/24 and the Crime and Corruption Commission’s Corruption in focus guide.”

The spokesperson said matters pending commencement of a workplace investigation are reviewed and prioritised in accordance with public sector employment guidance.

“Suspensions are administered in accordance with the Public Sector Act 2022 and the Public Sector Commission’s Suspension Directive 06/23. The circumstances in which an employee may be suspended without pay are prescribed in the Directive.”

Originally published as The shocking number of teachers under investigation