Indigenous leader Noel Pearson has championed the introduction of Direct Instruction at his Cape York Academy, which operates three public primary schools at Aurukun, Coen and Hope Vale in partnership with Queensland's Education Department.

NAPLAN data reveals a significant improvement in the basic skills of the Academy's Year 3 students.

Although the children still lag behind the national average for reading, grammar and punctuation and numeracy, they now exceed the average for comparable schools.

In Coen, 32 out of 50 students have achieved their grade level in reading.

 Teachers embrace a direct approach, Natasha Bita, p. 20, The Weekend Australian, 5-6 September 2015

Queensland schools made more than 18,000 reports of child abuse to the child safety department in just 12 months.

Robina Cosser says : imagine how much time Queensland teachers must be spending, preparing these reports.

Avalanche of abuse reports revealed, Sarah Vogler, p.7, The Courier-Mail, 28 August 2015

The 2016 NAPLAN results show that Queensland's Year 3 students seem to be making positive progress in writing (in the genre of "narrative" or storytelling).

But Queensland students in Years 5, 7 and 9 are below the national minimum standard.

And the problem seems to flow on into Queensland's universities.

Kylie Lang writes in The Courier-Mail that friends of hers who lecture at university complain of "borderline illiteracy" in some students, including those who are training to be teachers.

Opinion : Queensland children's literacy suffers as reading becomes 'optional extra', Kylie Lang, The Courier-Mail, 3 August 2016

Queensland Education Minister Kate Jones demonstrated her grasp of her portfolio during Monday's budget estimates hearing.

"I think that it is important to get it on the record that 99 per cent of students in (Queensland) state schools are good students," Ms Jones said.

Robina Cosser says : Really, Ms Jones?

On what research do you base your statement?

Because that is not what teachers are telling me.

And I don't think it is what most Queensland students, teachers and principals would tell you.

So who are you talking to?

Who is telling you these porkies that you want on the official record of the budget estimates hearing, Ms Jones?

Or have you just made up this statistic because making up this sort of re-assuring statistic is easier than dealing with the 1500 Queensland state school students who have assaulted their teachers in the past 15 months?

1500 students suspended or expelled for assaulting Queensland teachers, Amy Remeikis, The Brisbane Times, 26 July 2016

More than 1500 Queensland students were suspended or expelled for assaulting their teachers during the 15 months between 15 January 2015 and March 2016.

174 of the assaulted teachers made WorkCover claims.

Deputy director-general of Education, Patrea Walton, said the figures included teachers and staff who "may be assaulted in the course of trying to support a student with complex and challenging behaviours".

1500 students suspended or expelled for assaulting Queensland teachers, Amy Remeikis, The Brisbane Times, 26 July 2016

During the 15 months between 15 January 2015 and March 2016 -

 * more than 82,000 Queensland students were suspended or excluded from school.

 * 23,000 of these students were being punished for physical misconduct.

Estimates - Education, etc. Committee meeting, 26 July 2016

1500 students suspended or expelled for assaulting Queensland teachers, Amy Remeikis, The Brisbane Times, 26 July 2016

The Australian Education Union's 2016 State of Our Schools Report surveyed more than 1000 principals and 7000 teachers across Australia.

76 per cent of Queensland principals who took part in the survey reported that some maths and science classes at their schools were taught by teachers who were not fully qualified in those specialist subject areas - 20 per cent above the national average.

Queensland lagged significantly behind other Australian states when it came to attracting specialist maths and science teachers.

Queensland Education Minister Kate Jones said she now planned to bring talented science, technology, engineering and maths teachers to Queensland from other countries.

Large number of Queensland high school students are learning maths and science from teachers not fully qualified, Lauren Wilson, The Courier-Mail, 1 April 2016

Wanted : lots of teachers, Call for qualified educators as schools struggle to fill positions, Amy Price, P.9, The Courier-Mail, 2 April 2016

Almost 40 per cent of accepted mental stress claims made by Queensland professionals came from teachers in the 2014-15 financial year, according to the Office of Industrial Relations.

About 13 per cent of teachers who go to AccessEAP clinical services are considering resigning.

10 per cent said they were taking more sick leave than usual.

"We are hearing from teachers that the teaching environment is becoming more and more challenging," AccessEAP clinical services director Marcela Slepica said.

Queensland teachers overworked, stressed find Office of Industrial Relations, Brittany Vonow, The Courier-Mail, 10 Feb 2016

The number of Year 12's heading into teaching courses in Queensland has dropped by 15 per cent this year - the biggest fall in a steady decline since 2013.

Year 12 maths and science became compulsory prerequisites this year.

The number of Year 12 leavers getting into teaching since 2013 has dropped by 20 per cent -

More than 1950 Year 12 students received a place in 2015.

Just over 1650 Year 12 students received a place  in 2016.

Queensland Secondary Principal's Association (QSPA) president Andrew Pierpoint said there were several factors, including potential teachers not wanting to travel to rural and remote schools and the "competitive" career market.

Why student teachers are turning away, Brittany Vonow, The Courier-Mail, 9 February 2016

408 Queensland state schools had acting principals at the end of 2014.

About 390 Queensland state schools (about one third) had acting principals at the end of 2015.

Acting principals step in when principals take sick leave or stress leave.

One in four Queensland principals report that they have faced physical abuse.

One-third of schools don't have principals, Brittany Vonow, The Courier-Mail, 19 January 2016

67,000 teachers are registered to work in Queensland's state, independent or Catholic schools.

In 2005, 21 per cent of teachers came into teaching with a graduate diploma or a master's degree in another field besides education.

In 2015, 42 per cent of teachers came into teaching with a graduate diploma or a master's degree in another field besides education.

(Editor's Note : these figures seem a bit odd.

Could the reporter have misunderstood what she was told?

I suspect this should read "with a degree or a master's degree".)

High school leavers are coming into teaching with OPs as low as 19.

National figures show that nearly half of the students who start teacher education fail to finish the course.

About 30 per cent drop out in the first year.

(Does this seem normal or desirable?

Only one student dropped out of my own 1966-69 training course in England.

Is this fair to the almost 50 per cent of Australian students who are being enrolled in teaching courses with very little hope of success?

What a waste of their time and money.

We need some research into the reasons why these students drop out of education degrees, and how they feel about the situation.)

In Queensland, more OP1 students than OP18 students graduate.

(But is this true of just OP18, or does it include OP19 and below? Tricky.)

Late Bloomers, Susan Johnson, QW, The Courier-Mail, 24-25 October 2015

Queensland is losing male teachers.

The number of male teachers in Queensland state primary schools has fallen to 16 per cent.

Scarcity of male teachers a worry, Brittany Vonow, P. 14, The Cairns Post, 19 October 2015

During 2013-1014 the Queensland state cyber-safety teams were called in to deal with 322 incidents of students using social media (usually Facebook or Instagram) to ruin the reputation of schools and teachers.

During 2014-15, the team were called in to deal with almost 340 cases.

Teachers' pests hit the internet, Brittany Vonow, P. 13, The Courier-Mail, 3 October 2015

More than 18,000 reports of child abuse were made by Queensland school staff in 12 months.

(Minister Shanon Fentiman revealed the figure when answering questions during the 27 August 2015 Budget estimates hearing.)

Avalanche of abuse reports revealed, Sarah Vogler, P.7, The Courier-Mail, 28 August 2015

In some parts of Queensland school attendance is 60 per cent.

But all Australian parents receive the School Kids Bonus Scheme grants - even if their children repeatedly fail to attend school.

Parents of truants paid bonus, P.7, The Courier-Mail, 20 August 2015

The Queensland Department of Education system of on-line reporting of possible child abuse was upgraded in January 2015.

Between January 22 and July 30 2015, 3822 child abuse reports were made by Queensland school principals.

644 reports of potential child s-x abuse made by 325 schools were never reported to Queensland police because of a coding error.

This category of reporting is understood to be the least critical of the three levels available to school principals. 

At this level the principal believes a parent or guardian at home is acting in the best interests of the child, but there is information that needs to be passed on.

In addition, however, 27 Queensland children suspected of suffering real physical and s-xual abuse were referred to authorities by their principals.

The Courier-Mail understands the alerts were prompted by the children showing unusual physical and emotional symptoms - behavioural changes, bruising, neglect, s-xual abuse, etc. 

These reports were lost in the Department of Education's computer system - blocked by a department firewall.

The reports were never investigated by Child Safety officers or police.

26 August 2015 update :

Another (about) 270 of the more serious reports of child abuse made by principals may have been blocked by the Queensland Department of Education's firewall.

Investigators are searching through the (about) 17,000 reports that have been made since online reporting first began in 2013.

The investigation is expected to cost Queensland taxpayers $1 million.

Bungle leaves kids at risk, Sarah Vogler, Brittany Vonow, p.2, The Courier-Mail, 7 August 2015.

At-risk children should not be an issue for political point-scoring, Terry Sweetman, pp32-33, The Courier-Mail, 7 August 2015

Flaw left more kids at risk, Minister tells of possible 300 more abuse cases, Sarah Vogler,  P. 10,The Courier-Mail, 26 August 2015 

According to the preliminary NAPLAN results, the vast majority of Queensland students meet or exceed the national standard.

But students in other states fared better, with the national average higher than the Queensland average.

Queensland students most improved NAPLAN test takers but remain behind national average, Matt Wordsworth, abc.net.au, 5 August 2015

Currently only 16 per cent of Queensland primary teachers are male.

Over the past decade the percentage of male teachers in Queensland state high schools has dropped from 41.07 per cent to 35.13 per cent.

About 43 per cent of male teachers registered in Queensland are over 50.

There are fears that their retirement will reduce the number of male teachers in Queensland schools even further.

Similarly in Queensland Catholic schools - 

15.6 per cent of primary school teachers are male.

About 40.5 per cent of high school teachers are male.

Data gathered from higher education providers suggests current patterns are continuing.

A Queensland Department of Education spokesperson said that the department would work to identify effective teacher attraction and retention strategies.

Men not willing to front the class, Brittany Vonow, P. 13, The Courier-Mail, 27 October 2014

59,353 Queensland state school students were suspended during 2013:

 572 Prep students were suspended.

1456 Year 1 students were suspended.

2101 Year 2 students were suspended.

Year 1 pupils sent home. Suspensions punish hundreds as teachers tame grade-A brats, Tanya Chilcott, P. 9, The Courier-Mail, 23 April 2014.

174 Queensland state school teachers have been suspended - with and without pay - between 2007 and December 2012.

 63 of these teachers were exonerated of complaints by the Department of Education's ethical standards unit and returned to their schools.

 23 of the teachers were cleared but "seconded" to other schools.

Some cases are in the hands of the police and the CMC.

This information was given to the Queensland State Parliament in answer to a question on notice.

Robina Cosser comments : The problem with these figures is that we do not know -

How many of these Queensland teachers were the victim of false, malicious allegations?

And how many of the teachers who are "seconded" to other schools end up having breakdowns, heart attacks, etc?

I have heard from a number of teachers who tell me that they have been "seconded" to very stressful positions as casual relief teachers, etc.

And did the ethical standards unit investigate these cases properly? 

Based on my own experience, when a teacher makes a Grievance, the ethical standards unit seem to "set up' an investigation with Terms of Reference that side-step the teacher's Grievance.

Then they send the teacher a letter advising them that no evidence has been found of this side-step.

And that the teacher's case has been "declared closed", so when the teacher writes to say that her Grievance has been side-stepped, nobody is going to read her letter!

Teachers suspended, Insight, Des Houghton, P. 48-49, The Courier-Mail, 12-13 January 2013.

22 Queensland Education and Training department staff are currently (November 2012) suspended on full pay.

21 are from education.

Five of the 21 staff members are principals.

One is from training.

Three of the 22 have been suspended on full pay for longer than 18 Months.

Suspension inquiry call, Tanya Chilcott, P.13, The Courier-Mail, 27 November 2012.

In October 2012 the Queensland Teachers' Union had more than 44,000 members.

Page 4, Queensland Teachers' Journal Volume 117 Number 7, 5 October 2012

During 2010/2011 -

160 students were expelled from Education Queensland schools for illicit drug misconduct,

315 students were given long suspensions (six to 20 days)

160 students were given short suspensions.

Experienced teachers say these figures vastly understate the real extent of student drug use.

The Queensland Teachers' Union admits drugs are a major problem for Queensland schools.

Drugs use widespread in schools, but random testing divides community opinion, David Murray, The Sunday Mail, 12 August 2012  : http://www.news.com.au/national/drugs-use-widespread-in-schools-but-random-testing-divides-community-opinion/story-fndo4ckr-1226448292937

In 2002 21.4 per cent of state primary school teachers were male.

In 2011 18.1 per cent of state primary school teachers were male.

In 2002 42.4 per cent of state high school teachers were male.

In 2011 39.5 per cent of state high school teachers were male.

Why don't men want to be teachers?

a) Because they are afraid that a child, a parent or a malicious school principal will make a false allegation against them and destroy their lives. Education Queensland director-general Julie Grantham told a public lecture at QUT in February 2012 that there was "a terrible connotation" in connection with young children and males in the community.

b) Because they can make more money in mining.

c) Because they will be stuck in casual work for so many years after graduating and won't be able to get a mortgage or support their family properly.

Men turn from teaching, Tanya Chilcott, P.12, The Courier-Mail, 27 March 2012.

About one in ten.

This is the third consecutive year that only one in 10 Queensland teaching graduates has secured a permanent job with the Queensland Education Department.

By 7 February 2012 -

2540 graduates from 2011 had applied for work.

 275 had been given permanent jobs.

 894 had been given temporary contracts.

Teaching places to be held for high-flyers, Tanya Chilcott, P.9, The Courier-Mail, 15 February 2012.

Teacher graduates scramble for jobs, Tanya Chilcott, P.18, The Courier-Mail, 13 February 2012.

More than 12,000 primary school teachers.

4000 other teachers.

Teaching places to be held for high-flyers, Tanya Chilcott, P.9, The Courier-Mail, 15 February 2012.

Teacher graduates scramble for jobs, Tanya Chilcott, P.18, The Courier-Mail, 13 February 2012.

The department has issued almost 700 warnings and directions against parents and other adults in the past four years, with some being banned from school grounds for up to a year.

A breakdown of 2010 Queensland Department of Education suspension figures shows that more than 20,000 suspensions were handed out for physical misconduct.

Of those, 4167 were for "physical misconduct with an object".

Premier Anna Bligh admitted last year there was "an alarming culture of school violence".

Opposition education spokesman Bruce Flegg said there had been a rising knife culture.

In April, Education Minister Cameron Dick told his department to review its weapons policy after another school stabbing.

More than 100 suspensions handed out every school day for physical misconduct, Tanya Chilcott and Brooke Baskin, The Courier-Mail, 7 October 2011:  http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/more-than-100-suspensions-handed-out-every-school-day-for-physical-misconduct/story-e6freoof-1226160650689

Figures obtained by The Courier-Mail show primary school students were nearly as likely to be suspended for violence with a weapon or object as their high school counterparts last year.

More than 85 suspensions were handed out each school day to state primary students in 2010.

Principals plead for help over disturbed students as behavioural problems worsen in classrooms, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 9 June 2011 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/principals-plead-for-help-over-disturbed-students-as-behaviour-problems-worsen-in-classrooms/story-e6freoof-1226071995707

Queensland schools are having to cope with a rise in the number of students with disabilities.

An Australian Education Union report released last year found there were 21,106 funded students with disabilities in Queensland state schools in 2008, up from 15,184 in 2001.

Principals plead for help over disturbed students as behavioural problems worsen in classrooms, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 9 June 2011 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/principals-plead-for-help-over-disturbed-students-as-behaviour-problems-worsen-in-classrooms/story-e6freoof-1226071995707

320 suspensions were handed out in Queensland state schools each school day in 2010.

Almost 7400 Queensland students were given long suspensions - an increase of 596 students, or 8.8 per cent since the previous year.

55,423 students were suspended for short periods - a rise of 2019, or 3.8 per cent.

More than 800 in grades 10 and above had their enrolments cancelled for bad behaviour, which was a rise of 54 per cent.

108 Queensland state school students were excluded from school for physical violence involving an object, including knives, sticks and pens, during 2010.

Cameron Dick rejects weapons searches in Queensland schools, AAP, 1 April 2011 :   http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/cameron-dick-rejects-weapons-searches-in-queensland-schools/story-e6frf7jx-1226031868586

Queensland has consistently been one of the poorer performers in the national literacy and numeracy tests.

A 2010 progress report on national efforts to boost teacher quality and classroom performance in Queensland has warned that -

high staff turnover

 - was one of the main factors that were making it difficult to achieve the state's goals.

The report also repeatedly noted that -

difficulties in attracting and retaining the right staff

 - were impacting on Queensland's ability to meet its educational objectives.

Teachers say MySchool fears are holding back literacy and numeracy reforms in schools, Emma Chalmers, The Courier- Mail, 7 December 2010 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/teachers-say-myschool-fears-are-holding-back-literacy-and-numeracy-reforms-in-schools/story-e6freoof-1225966640854

During the period July 2009-June 2010 -

60,000 suspensions were handed out to Queensland state school students.

Each week about 100 students were suspended for violence with weapons or "objects".

In some cases students held knives to their classmates' throats and strangled or bashed other students with their fists or chairs.

3539 students were given short suspensions of one to five days duration for "physical misconduct involving an object". This is up from 2797 short suspensions during the previous year.

558 students were given long suspensions of six to 20 days for "physical misconduct involving an object". This is up from 456 long suspensions during the previous year.

108 Queensland state school students were excluded. This is up from 89 exclusions during the previous year.

Suspensions soar amid crackdown on school violence ; thug kids on notice, Tanya Chilcott, schools reporter, p. 1-2 The Courier-Mail, Friday 22 October 2010.

Queensland students came equal second last with Western Australia on this year's national tests.

The Northern Territory came 8th and last.

Queensland's students perfomed below the national average in almost all areas : reading, writing, spelling, punctuation, grammar and numeracy.

But Queensland is the most improved state since the first national numeracy and literacy tests began in 2008.

Geoff Wilson says well done as Queensland students fall behind in national rankings after NAPLAN tests, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 10 September 2010.

July 2009-June 2010

The latest Queensland Department of Education and Training figures show that a total of 60,200 suspensions of up to 20 days were issued in the state during this period.

Some students were suspended on multiple occasions.

More than 900 students' behaviour was so serious they were expelled from their school, usually permanently.

Five hundred and twenty-nine Year 11 and 12 students were not allowed to continue after displaying a 'persistent refusal to participate in the program'.

June 2008-June 2009

An average of 21 Queensland state school students were expelled from school each week in the twelve months to June 2009.

The suspended students had physically attacked teachers or classmates, damaged property, disrupted classes or were caught swearing or with drugs, cigarettes or alcohol.

Students were also suspended 57,188 times for between one and 10 days.

An average of 278 students were suspended each school day.

You're out : state school suspensions soar, Courtney Trenwith, The Brisbane Times, 29 June 2010

Almost 280 suspended a day in Queensland schools, Rosemary Odgers, The Courier-Mail : 14 November, 2009

Dr Bruce Flegg asked Mr Geoff Wilson, Minister of Education and Training this question on 16 September 2009.

Geoff Wilson advised that -

28 Queensland teachers were put on an MUP program in 2009

21 in 2008

18 in 2007

Mr Wilson also said that "every organisation has a process for managing poor performance among workers. It's critical that this process gives workers the opportunity, time and support to improve their performance and increase their skills".

Actually the MUP process seems to be a process that is abused to bully Queensland teachers into ill health and out of work.

The QTU advise classroom teachers who are being bullied with the MUP that there is no hope of justice, that teachers who "fight it" are mentally or physically destroyed, and to "accept the things you cannot change".

I told Anna Bligh about this situation when I met her and Jim Varghese, the Director-General of Education on 23 June 2002.

The MUP seems to be being used to 'pay back' Queensland classroom teachers who report child abuse by other teachers, try to deal with professional issues at their school, refuse to join their principal's branch of the Labor party, etc. etc.

The QTU advised me that anything - or nothing at all - can be 'beaten up' into an excuse to put a Queensland classroom teacher on MUP.

It seems to be a process that is wide open to abuse.

Question On Notice 1261 16 September 2009.

14 Queensland teachers were placed on 'Diminished Work Performance' (now called Managing Unsatisfactory performance) during 2001.

32 Queensland teachers were placed on 'Diminished Work Peformance' during the three months to April 29, 2002.

So, presumably, there was a sudden surge in teachers who needed to be put on DWP during the first few months of 2002.

How very odd.

Or was this some sort of 2002 Labor government economy drive?

Anna Bligh said that teachers who were placed on "Diminished Work performance" were teachers "whose performance has deteriorated to the point that they need to have action taken".

Or maybe not, Ms Bligh.

Maybe they were teachers who tried to deal with the unsupervised groups of Grade 7 children roaming about their school, disrupting the other classes.

Or maybe they were simply teachers who would not join the acting principal's branch of the Labor party.

Payout push targets tired teachers, Matthew Fynes-Clinton, education reporter, The Courier-Mail, 29 April 2002

14 Education Queensland teachers were suspended on full pay in June 2010.

10 teachers had been suspended for Code of Conduct issues.

 1 teacher had been suspended for a court matter.

 3 teachers had been suspended because they were involved in ongoing police investigations.

Teacher clears name, David Murray, p.30, The Sunday Mail, 20 June 2010.

The Queensland Government will not reveal how many staff successfully sued Education Queensland in the past five years, the associated legal costs or the current number of lawsuits.

School bullying in Queensland costly for taxpayers, Alison Sandy, The Courier-Mail, 21 May 2010.

During the last six months of 2009, Queensland police investigated -

 * 300 assaults allegedly committed by children at Queensland schools.

 * 45 s-x offences, 11 allegedly committed by children at Queensland primary schools.

 * two attempted rapes allegedly committed by children at Queensland schools.

 * 176 assaults were allegedly committed by under-16's in Queensland high schools.

 * 35 assaults were allegedly committed in Queensland primary schools.

 * 85 assaults were allegedly committed in "other education facilities".

During the full year July 2008 - July 2009 -

 * 504 assaults were allegedly committed by children in Queensland schools.

 * 78 s-x offences were allegedly committed by children at Queensland schools.

 * 17 assaults were allegedly committed by adults at primary schools.

Queensland Police say that some of these offenders may not be students at the schools where the crimes were committed.

And that the number of offences at education locations in Queensland is relatively small when compared to the general community.

Epidemic of crime grips our schools, Daniel Knowles, page 3, The Sunday Mail, 14 March 2010.

 * 95 Education Queensland staff were suspended on full pay for some period between 1 january 2008 and 31 January 2010. 

 * By 31 January 2010, 20 Education Queensland employees remained "suspended on full pay".

 * It costs Queensland taxpayers more than $1m a year to keep these Queensland classroom teachers, principals and education officials "suspended on full pay" while waiting for the outcomes of "investigations" into allegations concerning them.

Many of these Queensland teachers may be the innocent victims of "joke", malicious or "payback" allegations concerning them.

The long "investigation" process - and the eventual "return to work" process - is very, very stressful for these Queensland teachers.

The stress of the "investigation process" itself seems to make teachers ill.

The "investigations" can sometimes take more - much, much more - than two years.

School staff suspended on full pay cost taxpayers over $1m a year, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 12 March 2010.

Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson advises that on average there is one incident each week in a Queensland school that involves a knife.

Queensland Police responded to 46 knife offences in Queensland educational facilities (schools and universities) during July 2008 - June 2009.

This figure of 46 does not include people who simply possessed a knife. The 46 people offended with a knife.

This figure represents a 35 per cent increase on the previous year.

34 people offended with a knife in Queensland educational facilities during July 2007 - June 2008.

Schoolgirl row "escalates into knife threat", AAP, The Courier-Mail : 25 February 2010.

Education related knife offences rise 35 per cent, Andrew Dawson, The Chronicle : 18 February 2010.

An average of 89 students were suspended for violence with weapons or "objects" every week in Queensland state schools during July 2008 - June 2009.

This seems to be an increasing problem in Queensland state schools because -

An average of 65 students were suspended for violence with weapons or "objects" every week in Queensland state schools during July 2003- June 2004.

More than 10,000 Queensland state school students were suspended for "physical misconduct involving an object" during July 2006-June 2009.

Weapons suspensions on rise at schools, Tanya Chilcott and Rosemary Odgers, The Courier-Mail : 24 February 2010.

During 2009 it was recommended that -

 * 383 Queensland students have their enrollments cancelled.

These students were over 16 years old.

 * 864 Queensland students be excluded.

Five of the 864 excluded Queensland students were in Year 1.

More than half of the 864 excluded Queensland students were in Years 9 and 10.

Which seems to suggest that Year 9 and 10 classes in Queensland schools are being very regularly disrupted.

And that this level of disruption must impact on the education of the better behaved students. 

School principals win right to expel problem students, Alison Sandy and Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 18 December 2009.

 * In 2007, 26 Queensland teachers made formal complaints about the bullying and aggressive behaviour of other teachers (I would presume that these "other teachers" are actually Queensland school principals).

 * In 2008, 30 teachers made formal complaints.

 * In 2009, 37 teachers made formal complaints ( to November ).

This represents an increase in complaints of more than 40 per cent over the past two years.

Teachers bullied to keep quiet on problem schools, AAP, 30 November, 2009

180 Queensland teachers were assaulted during 2004-2006.

Teachers reported being

• threatened with weapons,
• stabbed with pencils,
• punched in the face,
• spat on,
• having bones broken,
• furniture thrown at them
• and being verbally assaulted

by students.

One teacher reported being headbutted in the face and having hair torn out.

Another suffered burns after a student threw boiling water at the teacher and two students.

A teacher reported being injured after a student threw a chair.

When a teacher tried to stop a student chasing another with a pair of scissors, the student charged at the teacher.

A teacher reported being kicked in the face by a student who refused to follow directions.

A principal reported suffering mental stress after an altercation with a student armed with an iron bar.

A teacher reported a shoulder injury after an irate student picked up a table and threw it.

Queensland teachers and principals were also being physically and verbally assaulted by parents.

One teacher was hit in the throat and knocked over by a parent.

An irate parent pushed a teacher over and then punched the teacher in the jaw.

A principal was punched in the mouth and threatened by a female parent.

A teacher claimed to have suffered mental distress after a student pointed a replica gun and pulled the trigger several times.

One student at Albany Creek State High was expelled in February 2005 over a vicious attack in which a maths teacher's head was smashed into a window.

Witnesses said the Year 9 student ... attacked the teacher after being reprimanded for not completing his homework.

A school insider described the attack as brutal.

The student "beat the crap out of the teacher", the source said.

15,000 Queensland students were suspended or expelled for violent behaviour in only 12 months, the Education Queensland ( 2006-2007 ) annual report shows.

35,000 more Queensland students were suspended or expelled for other reasons, including absences, disruptive behaviour, drugs and "physical misconduct".

One year later, in July 2008, new research showed that the Queensland school system was among the worst for bullying of any country in the developed world.

More than 70 Queensland school students were being suspended every day for assault.

Some attackers are as young as five.

More than 14,000 Queensland students were suspended between June 2006 and July 2007 for "physical misconduct".

The figure is up at least 1700 cases from the previous 12 months.

Some of those suspended are in Years 1 and 2, and in a few cases even Prep year.

The Queensland Principals Association president Norm Hart said schools were increasingly left with no choice but to exclude violent students.

"We are seeing more and more of those kids now. They are wilful, disobedient and naughty."

In May 2009 Queensland teachers were still being terrorised by their students.

State School students had -

• assaulted their teachers with bricks and furniture.
• threatened them with death.
• spat on them.
• held them hostage.

One special school teacher had her jaw broken and multiple teeth knocked out by a student.

Another suffered extensive eye socket and rib damage after being assaulted by a student.

And teachers in prep classes face rising violence.

A teacher who specialises in behaviour management contacted The Courier-Mail in May 2009 to report that during the past fortnight-

• a brick had been thrown at her
• she had been threatened with dangerous weapons
• a chair had been thrown at her
• a classroom window had been smashed
• she had received specific and detailed death threats.
• she had been told that, after she was dead, her classroom was going to be burned down.

More than 17,000 students were suspended for violence in Queensland state schools during 2007-2008.

Almost 300 state school students were expelled for violence.

An average of 21 students a week were expelled from Queensland state schools in the 12 months to June 2009.

The 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, which tests Year 4 and 8 students from more than 38 countries, shows Australia has been static or gone backwards in world rankings since 2003.

And, out of Australia's eight states and territories, Queensland's year 4 students came last in science and 7th in Maths.

"One explanation for Queensland's poor performance is that whereas Queensland's curriculum has been dumbed down, states like NSW and Victoria have kept with an academically rigorous curriculum and competitive testing and assessment," Kevin Donnelly, the director of Melbourne's Education Strategies, said.

"Overseas research argues that stronger performing systems have competitive, external exams at the senior level and high-risk assessment, with clear consequences for failure - both of which Queensland lacks."

Many Asian countries, Russia, USA and England consistently out-perform Australia.

Educators blamed as Australia's standards show decline, James O'Loan, The Courier-Mail:http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24777327-952,00.html  Tuesday 9 December 2008

2007-08 State Budget figures show many Queensland students failed to meet national benchmarks for reading, writing and maths from Years 2 to 7.

In 17 of 24 areas scores were down compared with 2006-07.

The worst results were for 11 and 12-year-olds in Year 7.

93.1% of Year 7 students achieved the national benchmark in reading in 2004-05.

81.7% of Year 7 students achieved the national benchmark in reading in 2007-08, a fall of 11.4%.

82.3% of Year 7 students reached the national benchmark in maths in 2004-05.

73.1% of Year 7 students reached the national benchmark in maths in 2007-08, a fall of 9.2%. 

"You can't get much lower than those benchmarks and in reality, somewhere between 40 and 60% of students entering high school from government, Catholic and independent schools lack sufficient skills to engage with the secondary curriculum," said the Australian Council for Educational Research's Ken Rowe .

"I am also concerned that we are starting to see the effects of falling OP scores for entry to the teaching profession," Opposition Education spokesman Stuart Copeland said.

Our kids can't add-up, Tess Livingstone, The Courier-Mail, June 08, 2007

Results fall at primary schools, Darrell Giles, The Sunday Mail, Sunday June 15, 2008, 12:00am.

The Queensland government paid about 360 teachers almost $10 million in stress compensation claims during the four years May 2004 - May 2008.

But Queensland opposition education spokesman Stuart Copeland says the government needs to focus on dealing with the causes of teacher stress, including physical aggression from students.

Mr Copeland said that prep teachers were under a lot of stress because they did not have enough teacher-aide support.

"I know that there's teachers that have been in the prep classroom that have either gone on stress leave or they've left the education sector completely."

Opposition calls for action to deal with teacher stress, ABC News : Sunday 25 May 2008.

123 Queensland teachers made successful stress-related claims for leave during 2002-2003.

125 Queensland teachers made successful stress-related claims for leave during 2003-2004.

122 Queensland teacher stress compensation claims were accepted during 2005-2006. ( 96 claims were denied. )

But during 2006-2007 there was a dramatic decrease in the number of state school teachers who were given compensation for work-related stress. 

94 Queensland teacher stress compensation claims were accepted during 2006-2007. ( 123 were denied.)

Opposition education spokesman Stuart Copeland said the Government figures also showed compensation payouts dropped from-

$4 million in 2005-06

to

$1.9 million in 2006-07.

Tony McGruther, of the Queensland Association of State School Principals, said stress was a serious welfare issue for teachers, with some suffering serious mental and physical breakdowns.

Teachers said that they were stressed by conflict with other teachers, students and supervising staff.

 "Teachers I have spoken to are gravely concerned about the growing lack of respect from students and the difficulties enforcing discipline in their classrooms," said Opposition education spokesman Stuart Copeland.

Robina Cosser says : Queensland teachers may not be advised by the union or staff welfare oficer to apply for WorkCover when they take sick leave because of stress, particularly if it is the behaviour of another union member that is affecting their health.

So these figures may significantly understate the problem.

Up to 3% of the Australian population is psychopathic, according to Sydney-based psychotherapist and author John Clarke.

About 40,000 Queensland teachers are now members of the QTU.

( Report by John Battams to the QTU conference, June 2007. )

So up to 1200 Queensland teachers and administrators may be workplace psychopaths.

On May 27 2007 an Education Queensland spokesperson stated that there was a backlog of-

414 cases involving allegations ( presumably both true and false ) of official misconduct by Education Queensland staff.

And that some of the cases had dragged on for a number of years, stalled by a lack of staff in the Ethical Standards unit.

5 temporary investigators had recently been appointed to the Ethical Standards unit.

These positions will be made permanent "next year".

High workload correlated negatively with vigour, indicating that this area of worklife impacted on individuals' capacity for resiliance.

However there was also a positive relationship between high workload and absorbtion, indicating perhaps that respondents find their work so intrinsically interesting that they do not notice the passage of time, despite a reported mismatch in workload.

Predicted positive relationships between high workload and the burnout dimensions of exhaustion and disengagement were also supported by significant correlations. ... Consequently it is noted that respondents found that workload constituted the major source of dissatisfaction with their work environment. ...

Participants spoke of their workloads as inexorably and continually increasing ... several participants suggested that in addition to work intensification they also felt pressure to be involved in co-curricular activites ...

Conclusion

While most respondents reported high dedication and absorbtion in their work consistent with a powerful sense of a meaningful and important career, they also revealed a deep and profound sadness.

For many teachers in the current study, their work has assumed (and continues to assume) numerous responsibilities which, of necessity, have to be performed within their own time, thereby severely impacting on their private lives.

Respondents in the current study reported heavy workloads, high exhaustion and low vigour which are indicative of extreme pressure within their workplaces. ...Such findings do not augur well for the continued sustainablity of the profession ...

Further details of research by Carolyn Timms can be found at: http://carolyntimms.id.au/index.html

37.6 per cent reported stress caused by excessive workload and lack of time.

21.3 per cent reported stress caused by lack of support from Administration (Management).

18.4 per cent reported stress caused by lack of communication and poor relationships.

17 per cent reported stress caused by student misbehaviour and amotivation (No dictionary definition. I presume it means lack of motivation).

15.6 per cent reported stress caused by bureaucratic changes from Education Quensland.

10.6 per cent reported stress caused by large class size.

7.1 per cent reported stress caused by lack of resources and poor physical environment.

12.5 per cent reported that they had used alcohol to reduce stress.

a quarter (approximately) of the teachers stated that they had taken some stress leave.

one third had sought professional assistance to deal with stress.

... the health effects (including physical, psychological and social negative effects of stress) have been well documented in many studies: social implications alone include declining job satisfaction and teacher-withdrawal-resignation intentions, teacher-reduction in ability to assess and meet the needs of students, increase in days absent, and deterioration in work performance and interpersonal relationships both within and outside the school environment. ...

... it may be concluded that teachers are no more stressed in general than are other professional groups or the general population - except especially in relation to Role Overload. ... This area has ... been identified for more than 25 years as being a source of stress among teachers. ...

in proportion to the teaching workforce numbers, the gap between non-promoted women teachers and promoted women principals is the highest in Australia at 34.3% (the national average is 27.85%).

Catherine Davis ... also highlighted the fact that Queensland has the lowest percentage of female secondary principals in the education workforce ( only 31.42% ).