Trinity Grammar drama teacher Mark Lauber suspended by state’s teaching regulator

A drama teacher who taught at two elite schools including Trinity and Ivanhoe Grammar has been temporarily suspended from teaching by the state’s regulator.

Mark Lauber, who taught at Trinity and Ivanhoe Grammar School, has been interimly suspended by the state's teaching regulator.

A drama teacher who taught at two elite private schools has been given an interim suspension from teaching by the state’s regulator.

The Herald Sun can reveal Mark Lauber, who worked as the head of performing arts at Trinity Grammar for 12 years and most recently at Ivanhoe Grammar as the school’s head of performing arts until August last year, has been suspended on an interim basis by the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

A Trinity Grammar spokeswoman told the Herald Sun Mr Lauber’s suspension did not relate to the time he was employed at the school.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Lauber worked at Whittlesea Secondary College from January 2005 until 2007.

His profile also shows he started a landscape and maintenance business in July 2022.

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.

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 the same year, the 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.

In a statement through his lawyer, Mr Lauber denied engaging in any wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.

Mr Lauber said he expected his suspension will ultimately be lifted.

The VIT has not made any adverse findings against Mr Lauber.