Victorian teacher allowed in classrooms for five years after being fired

Five years after a teacher was sacked by a Victorian school after serious complaints were made about his conduct, he remains registered and able to work in other schools.

The teacher was fired by the school in 2019 but the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) is only now seeking to cancel his registration.

Five years after a teacher was sacked by a Victorian school after serious complaints were made about his conduct, he remains registered and able to work in other schools.

Concerns about the teacher were first raised by parents, other teachers and students in 2018 and he was fired by the school in 2019.

But he was allowed to continue teaching, with conditions placed on his employment by the education regulator, the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT).

These conditions included undergoing professional development and producing a “reflective piece of writing”.

However, by August 2023, the VIT concluded that the teacher had “failed to comply with the conditions imposed on their registration”.

The VIT is only now seeking to cancel the teacher’s registration and stop him from reapplying for registration for a year.

Picture: Getty Images

A hearing about the teacher was held by the VIT on Monday, and a suppression order was issued stopping publication of the teacher’s name and the school he worked at.

At the hearing, a lawyer for the VIT said there was “no remorse, no contrition, no insight” and “no evidence of extenuating circumstances” that would affect the teacher’s ability to comply with the disciplinary action.

“He was not contactable the majority of the time,” he said.

Despite this, it has taken the VIT six years from the initial concerns being raised to consider cancelling his registration.

Back in March, the Herald Sun revealed the VIT failed to permanently ban teachers who had already been found guilty of assault, sexual misconduct and serious drink-driving.

At present there are 44 teachers who are suspended on an interim basis despite facing serious charges such as reckless conduct, sexual offences and drink driving.

There is no suggestion the current teacher was involved in such behaviour.

A lawyer working with schools told the Herald Sun in March that “teachers dismissed from one school are gaining employment in other schools because VIT has taken too long to suspend or cancel their registrations following reportable conduct findings”.

He said such delays put child safety at risk.

The VIT annual report notes that as of June 2023, the institute had more than 1600 open investigations.

The head of the VIT is paid more than $300,000 a year.

Opposition education spokeswoman Education, Jess Wilson said: “Unfortunately this is not the first time Victoria’s teaching regulator has failed in their duty to protect students, parents and school communities.

“The safety and wellbeing of students is paramount and the Allan Labor Government must explain why the VIT is repeatedly failing to investigate and act of allegations of teacher misconduct in a timely manner.”

The VIT has been contacted for comment.

A decision on the teacher’s registration will be handed down within 28 days.