NSW: Nine year old suspended for sexual harassment

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2000
NSW: Nine year old suspended for sexual harassment

SYDNEY, April 6 AAP - The New South Wales opposition today called for an immediate
inquiry into the suspension of a nine-year old Aboriginal schoolboy accused of sexually
harassing his teacher.

The boy, a student at Goodooga Central School near the NSW-Queensland border, was suspended
for four days earlier this year after he allegedly touched a teacher on the bottom.

But the move was attacked by state opposition education spokesman Patricia Forsythe,
who said the boy's alleged action did not warrant a four-day suspension.

Mrs Forsythe said Aboriginal community leaders said the boy's behaviour was an accident.

"I don't believe anyone would accept the concept of a nine-year-old being able to be
accused fairly of sexual harassment," she said in a statement.

"I am totally offended by this idea.

"This is just bureaucracy gone completely and utterly mad."

It was revealed today the boy's mother had received a letter from the school dated
March 17 advising her of the suspension.

When the school was challenged by Liz Wright of the local Aboriginal Education Consultative
Group, it said in a letter dated April 3 the boy had been suspended for "sexual harassment
of a teacher".

Ms Wright said suspension was not the answer and the Aboriginal children were being
denied a proper education.

An Education Department spokesman said there were an unusually high number of suspensions
in February, but the figure dropped in March after certain programs were implemented.

One such program involved parents or supportive community members supervising the student
at school rather than suspending them, the spokesman said.

AAP ls/tsm/ah

KEYWORD: SUSPEND OPPOSITION

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