Sept 16, 2018, Brisbane Times: Students as young as eight banned from classroom by teachers https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/students-as-young-as-eight-banned-from-classroom-by-teachers-20180916-p5044f.html Students as young as eight are being banned from classrooms and teachers in a Queensland state school have refused to teach one youngster for a month after violent, disruptive behaviour. In the latest incident, the Queensland Teachers’ Union last month issued a directive that members at a Darling Downs primary school “withdraw normal instruction” from a girl in year three. Eight-year-old girl taught on her own in the school’s library for five weeks after teachers withdrew instruction amid health and safety concerns. The girl’s mother, who requested anonymity, said the move came after a series of behavioural issues, which caused her daughter to “push the teacher”. After the incident, QTU members held a ballot and decided to withdraw instruction to the student. … The girl’s mother told Fairfax Media her daughter had depression, anxiety, an undiagnosed form of social communication disorder and below-average learning capabilities. “She doesn’t understand social cues and she doesn’t understand things like metaphors or jokes,” her mother said…. The mother admitted her child pushed the teacher, but denied it was assault, claiming it was her daughter’s response to five or six staff crowding around her, the removal of her fidget spinners, and losing access to her "quiet space". But sources with knowledge of an investigation into the incident said the class teacher was on the receiving end of disruptive behaviour for nine months, and had since gone on stress leave. … 11 prep and year 1 students suspended from Queensland schools every day … “There’s got to be zero tolerance for violence or assaults towards teachers.” Ms Pidgeon said it was more common for special education teachers to be assaulted than colleagues in mainstream classrooms. “But even in those cases, it’s not OK for teachers or teacher aides to be punched or kicked or bitten or have their hair pulled when they go to work,” she said….
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