Bialik College sacks staff member after inappropriate images on laptop seen by students
A staff member at a top Jewish school in Melbourne has been dismissed after explicit adult material displayed on their laptop was seen by young students.
A staff member has been sacked after young students were exposed to explicit images on a laptop at an elite Jewish school in Melbourne.
The incident took place during the year 6 to year 7 Transition Day at Bialik College in Hawthorn this week.
The Herald Sun understands suggestive thumbnails of another adult were displayed on a staff member’s laptop, accidentally seen by multiple students.
In an email to parents, the school said at least one image did “not pass any test of reasonableness to be shown to children, nor should the images have been on a school device or present in the workplace”.
“We acknowledge this deeply unfortunate and completely inappropriate situation that has exposed children to at least one image that they should not see,” they said.
“The college apologies unreservedly to the small number of students who saw this and to their parents.
“Rest assured the college’s commitment to the highest standards of child safety is unflinching.”
In a statement, principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner said the staff member was dismissed.
“The college can confirm that an isolated incident occurred this week in which a staff member’s laptop briefly displayed inappropriate adult imagery to a small number of students,” he said.
“The material was not of a child-related nature. The staff member self-reported immediately.
“The college acted within minutes to initiate its Child Safety and HR processes and promptly notified the statutory authorities.
“The staff member’s employment has been terminated following the college’s processes.”
Mr Stowe-Lindner said there was “no ongoing risk” to pupils.
“A technical investigation has confirmed that protective systems functioned as designed and that there is no ongoing risk to students,” he said.
“We have issued an unreserved apology in our community communication and to individual families.”
Bialik College is one of the state’s top Jewish schools, consistently scoring high VCE and NAPLAN results each year.
The school teaches children from three months to 18 years.
“Bialik is unique as Australia’s only Zionist pluralistic Jewish school embracing the entire Jewish community regardless of affiliation or practice,” the school website said.
“Bialik students see Judaism as expansive and embracing and have a strong and positive relationship with Israel.
“Our strong educational approach in early years and primary provides a dynamic and child-centred style of early education, inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, while the college’s Cultures of Thinking philosophy, renowned throughout the education world, is the outcome of our collaboration with the Project Zero research team from Harvard University.”
Originally published as Bialik College sacks staff member after inappropriate images on laptop seen by students
