Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1994-08-24
Why has the ridiculous situation been allowed to continue whereby a teacher, who seriously suspects that a child is continuously infested with nits, may not touch the child and inspect his or her head to determine conclusively that the child has nits before sending that child home for treatment?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a serious problem and one that is of concern to parents. It is a very sensitive issue in terms of exactly what teachers may do in respect of particular students. I do not believe that broad support would be found in the community, either for giving teachers the ability to undertake some treatment of children or for not allowing them that ability. Such proposals would receive a mixed reception from parents.
Messages are sent to parents. After all, there is a parental responsibility in this regard. All parents will have experienced difficulty in relation to this matter. The treatment is not
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cheap and it is frustrating to administer the treatment only to find that there is another infestation a week or 2 later. The problem is greater in the Northern Territory because of the climate and the prevalence of this beast here. It is a problem that we have to live with albeit a frustrating one. School councils may wish to address the matter, but I do not believe there would be broad community support for allowing teachers to manhandle children in order to treat them. There are more contentious issues, such as the use of caning as punishment, on which no agreement is possible in the broader community. This problem also lies in that area.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a serious problem and one that is of concern to parents. It is a very sensitive issue in terms of exactly what teachers may do in respect of particular students. I do not believe that broad support would be found in the community, either for giving teachers the ability to undertake some treatment of children or for not allowing them that ability. Such proposals would receive a mixed reception from parents.
Messages are sent to parents. After all, there is a parental responsibility in this regard. All parents will have experienced difficulty in relation to this matter. The treatment is not
Page 64
cheap and it is frustrating to administer the treatment only to find that there is another infestation a week or 2 later. The problem is greater in the Northern Territory because of the climate and the prevalence of this beast here. It is a problem that we have to live with albeit a frustrating one. School councils may wish to address the matter, but I do not believe there would be broad community support for allowing teachers to manhandle children in order to treat them. There are more contentious issues, such as the use of caning as punishment, on which no agreement is possible in the broader community. This problem also lies in that area.
Page 65
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016