The Australian principals, teachers and support staff who faced disciplinary action – and in some cases criminal charges – this year
Teachers and principals across the country have lost their jobs following investigations into various allegations of inappropriate conduct. See who was disciplined in your state.
Two school principals were among more than a dozen teachers and education support staff around the country who have been investigated in the first few months of this year, with some facing court for their alleged actions.
Read on to see which teachers’ bad behaviours landed them in hot water in the first eight months of this year:
Victoria
A primary school principal was among 15 Victorian educators disciplined by the teaching regulator in the first six months of the year.
Former Langwarrin Park Primary School principal Richard Barren was suspended by the Victorian Institute of Teaching in February after Australian Border Force officers allegedly found child abuse material on his personal phone.
The content was found during a baggage search at Melbourne Airport on January 26 after he flew home from a US holiday.
Mr Barren is due to face the County Court in September for a directions hearing.
Other teachers suspended this year after being charged by Victoria Police included former Tarneit P-9 College teacher Justin Marks and MacKillop College English teacher Troy Ollis.
Meanwhile, former Thomastown East Primary education support worker Ben Dance found himself on a “name and shame” Facebook page in March after he was charged with knowingly possessing child abuse material.
He is due to face the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court in October.
Other Victorian teachers who were suspended by the Victorian Institute of Teaching included Ciara Bowne, Adam Jensen, Raffaele Scarfo, Laura Anne Hill, Christopher Powell, Hayden Cooper, Nakate McKay, Justin Farrugia and Yu Blake.
There is no suggestion of criminal conduct by any of these individuals.
New South Wales
An offensive joke contributed to a male teacher at one of Sydney’s top private schools being stood down in May.
The Waverley College staff member was investigated by NSW Police and child protection authorities after he allegedly joked with two female cadets while on a five-day camp.
In another case, Plumpton High School teacher Tyson Moon faced court in June after he was charged with three counts of sexually touching a child under special care in November last year.
At the time, Moon pleaded not guilty to the charges but was later found guilty in August and will be sentenced in September.
Earlier this year, southwest Sydney support worker Thomas Gottaas was charged following a months-long investigation.
The alleged offences included possessing and producing child abuse material, and participating as a client in an act of child prostitution.
He was yet to make a plea in July and will be back in court in September for a charge certification (committal).
More recently, a former school teacher was charged with indecently assaulting a student more than 40 years ago in the state’s southwest.
Police said the Department of Education informed officers earlier this year of “alleged indecent acts, allegedly involving a teacher and a student” which are believed to have occurred at a Riverina high school in 1984.
The alleged incidents were not reported to police at the time.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on October 15.
Queensland
At least nine Queensland educators have landed themselves in hot water this year for their alleged inappropriate behaviour.
In March, a Brown Plains State High School teacher was under investigation after claims emerged he allegedly smoked and drank with students.
At the time, the Queensland Department of Eduction said the individual had been removed from the workplace and no further comment could be made for privacy reasons.
The following month, a Redland Bay State School teacher had been barred from working at any Queensland state school after she posted a video of herself calling a student “dumb” and harshly critiquing their homework online.
A physical education teacher from an unidentified school was also banned from the classroom in July, after allegedly having sex twice with his teenage student.
Meanwhile, former school principal and Catholic brother Desmond Mackrell – who was awarded with an Order of the British Empire – lost his appeal against his child sexual abuse conviction in August.
Mackrell, who was also known as Brother Bede, was found guilty by a jury earlier this year of repeated sexual conduct with a child and two counts of carnal knowledge against the order of nature.
The offences occurred more than 40 years ago when Mackrell was a school principal and the victim was in his early to mid teens.
Jayden Robert Carey was another Brisbane teacher who encountered legal trouble, with police charging him with 25 offences against children, including nine counts of grooming, in June.
He is due to reappear in court in September and is yet to enter a plea.
South Australia
A Tatachilla Lutheran College teacher was among multiple South Australian educators who have faced disciplinary action so far this year.
Jethro Kleinig was arrested on August 10 for knowingly being in possession of a substantial amount of child exploitation material.
He was stood down from the school as a result.
Mr Kleinig appeared before the Christies Beach Magistrate Court on August 11 where he was refused bail.
A northeastern suburbs teacher also faced court in June after she was charged with multiple child sexual abuse charges.
Abby Lee Violi’s alleged offending came to light following a notification from her employer at the time to school parents.
She was yet to make a plea in June and will face court again in January.
Meanwhile in February this year, a former Willunga Waldorf school teacher faced court where he pleaded not guilty to one count each of unlawful sexual intercourse, indecent assault and aggravated assault.
He also pleaded not guilty to communicating with the intent to make a child amenable to sexual activity.
Originally published as The Australian principals, teachers and support staff who faced disciplinary action – and in some cases criminal charges – this year
