❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education regarding an incident involving Perth Modern School students left unsupervised at Dallas-Fort Worth airport and the subsequent handling of parent concerns and investigation delays. The Minister was unaware but has requested a thorough and timely resolution.
AnsweredQoN 1429Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH
MODERN SCHOOL — DALLAS–FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT —
INVESTIGATION
1429. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for
Education:
(1) Is the
minister aware of an incident on 19 April 2015 in which Perth Modern School
students on a school tour to the USA were left unsupervised for around four
hours at Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport in Texas?
(2) Is the
minister aware of parent concerns that there was no communication to them as
parents from the school of this incident at the time and that it was the students
themselves who were communicating with their parents via social media about the
incident?
(3) Is the
minister aware that since the matter was referred to the standards and
integrity unit, three separate officers have been handling the matter, communication
to the parents has been lacking and the most recent advice to the parents is
that the matter is unlikely to be resolved until sometime in 2016 as there are
more pressing priorities?
(4) Will the
minister give an assurance that the investigation into this matter will be
dealt with in a more timely manner?
MODERN SCHOOL — DALLAS–FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT —
INVESTIGATION
1429. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for
Education:
(1) Is the
minister aware of an incident on 19 April 2015 in which Perth Modern School
students on a school tour to the USA were left unsupervised for around four
hours at Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport in Texas?
(2) Is the
minister aware of parent concerns that there was no communication to them as
parents from the school of this incident at the time and that it was the students
themselves who were communicating with their parents via social media about the
incident?
(3) Is the
minister aware that since the matter was referred to the standards and
integrity unit, three separate officers have been handling the matter, communication
to the parents has been lacking and the most recent advice to the parents is
that the matter is unlikely to be resolved until sometime in 2016 as there are
more pressing priorities?
(4) Will the
minister give an assurance that the investigation into this matter will be
dealt with in a more timely manner?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) I
was not aware of this issue. However, I am advised that this matter is still
under investigation and I have asked the Department of Education to resolve it
in a timely and thorough manner. The department is taking the matter seriously,
but the investigation needs to be thorough to ensure that all relevant
information is gathered and properly informed conclusions are reached.
Prioritisation of cases is based on the immediate safety and wellbeing needs of
children.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) I
was not aware of this issue. However, I am advised that this matter is still
under investigation and I have asked the Department of Education to resolve it
in a timely and thorough manner. The department is taking the matter seriously,
but the investigation needs to be thorough to ensure that all relevant
information is gathered and properly informed conclusions are reached.
Prioritisation of cases is based on the immediate safety and wellbeing needs of
children.
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