A WA parliamentary question regarding a dispute at Northam Primary School, focusing on the Department of Education's handling of complaints and the child's absence. The Minister expresses concern and outlines mediation efforts.

AnsweredQoN 3776Legislative Assembly
Asked
18 August 2010
Portfolio
Education

QuestionView source ↗

(1) I refer to an article in
The
Sunday Times
entitled
Pop Fights School Rule
, and ask, what procedures have been put in place by the Northam Primary School to address complaints raised by the grandfather?
(2) How long did the Department of Education allow this issue to remain unresolved?
(3) How many days has the child been absent from school as a result of this issue?
(4) Is the Minister concerned about the length of time that this dispute has remained unresolved; and
(a) if not, why not?
(5) Will the Minister arrange for all concerned parties to meet with a mediator to resolve the dispute; and
(a) if not, why not?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
21 September 2010
Responded by
Minister for Education
Response time
34 days
(1) The Principal and Director Schools have held meetings with and provided the outcomes in writing to the student's family. The principal placed the student in a different classroom.
(2) The Department of Education has been involved in ongoing conversations with the family, school and district education office to resolve the matter.
(3) Twenty-five days as of 2 September 2010.
(4) Yes. Department officers continued to meet with the family to resolve the matter during the period when the family disallowed the child to attend school citing reasons that the Department did not consider reasonable under sections 23 and 25 of the
Education Act 1999.
However, from 23 August 2010 the student has regularly attended school.
(4)(a) Not applicable.
(5) On 6 August 2010, the Department commenced the mediation process with the family through the involvement of the Director Schools.
(5)(a) Not applicable.
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