Full list of Victorian teachers suspended in 2022

Dozens of Victorian educators have found themselves added to the list of teachers facing disciplinary action. View the full list here.

Hundreds of Victorian teachers are affected by restrictions keeping them out of the classroom.

More than 40 Victorian teachers have been suspended so far this year, with hundreds more affected by restrictions keeping them out of the classroom.

Mark Knobel, a former physical education teacher from Catholic College Wodonga, is the latest to be added to the list of teachers facing disciplinary action from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Mr Knobel, who is also a sports coach, has not worked at the school since mid 2021.

Other entrants to the disciplinary register in September include Shikha David, Thea Blackler, Amanda Copeland, Julie O’Brien, Richard Ho, Monique Ooms, Claire Walker and Yvonne Hughes.

The institute assesses the suitability of the state’s 140,000 registered teachers and in 2020-21 it assessed the registration of 109,301 teachers to determine their suitability to remain registered as part of the annual registration process.

It receives information from the teacher’s employer, the Commissioner for Children and Young People or Victoria Police, among other sources.

Most teachers are given interim suspension while investigations take place if the VIT believes the person poses an unacceptable risk of harm to children and the suspension is necessary to protect children.

Some teachers go on to be cleared and are free to return to schools, while others have their registration cancelled altogether or are suspended for a period of time.

In 2020-21 – the latest figures available – the institute resolved 112 conduct matters, and conducted thousands of criminal history checks.

In 2020-21, VIT imposed conditions on the registration of 42 teachers and refused 20 applications for registration and/or renewal of registration.

There are more than 300 teachers in total on the register dating back to 2002.

Teachers who are suspended (including on an interim basis) do not appear on the register of teachers and are unable to undertake the duties of a teacher or early childhood teacher in any Victorian school or early childhood service.

They are also unable to undertake child-related work unless they hold a separate Working with Children Check.

A spokeswoman for the VIT said the institute was “responsible for ensuring only qualified and suitable persons are registered to teach in a school or early childhood service in Victoria.”

“The VIT conducts investigations into teachers who are alleged to have engaged in misconduct or inappropriate behaviour,” the spokeswoman said.