WA school principal defends handling of student suicide after teacher quits in protest
The principal of a large Catholic school in country Western Australia has defended the school's handling of the suicide of a Year 11 student, following claims by a former teacher the school wasn't properly responding to students with poor mental health.
Mr Cummins said he was concerned the school wasn't' doing enough to assist students who had disclosed thoughts of suicide and self-harm. However, in a letter to parents principal Frank Norton said he had requested Catholic Education Australia to review the school's practices to help protect those who were vulnerable.
Mark Cummins quit because of concerns the school wasn't properly responding to students with poor mental health."This includes increased mental health support services in the school, engaging with Youth Focus, providing advanced training in suicide prevention and youth mental health first aid to the entire Wellness Team and proactively refining our pastoral processes.
Guidelines set out by the WA Education Department and Catholic Education Western Australia urges schools to inform parents of suicide or self-harm disclosures at school and to work towards putting a risk management plan in place for the student."I know that multiple students who disclosed suicidal behaviour or informed a college psych that they were self-harming that those guidelines were not followed and the student at times was told to head back to class," he said.
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