TROUBLEMAKERS GET THE BOOT

GOLD Coast state school short-term suspensions have risen 16 per cent in the past year as mental health among teens declines.

According to the Department of Education’s latest school disciplinary absences report, 5499 students received short suspensions last year, up 759 on the 4740 in 2015.

Long-term suspensions increased 9.75 per cent on the Gold Coast, while exclusions and cancellations dropped 13.53 per cent and 12.66 per cent.

Child and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael CarrGregg said the increase in suspensions was reflective of the general decline in adolescent mental health.

“One in four adolescents have mental health issues and can have behavioural symptoms where they act out,” he said.

“The reality is that schools are not designed for children with psychological problems.”

Dr Carr-Gregg said there tended to be more risk than protective factors, including “more marital breakups, more online hazards, more cyber bullying, growing up faster physically than psychologically (and) kids are more anxious than ever before”.

“People like me are the expensive ambulance at the bottom of the cliff picking up the pieces, where a better allocation of money into the prevention of these problems (would be better),” he said.

“Suicides have doubled in the past 10 years according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, rates of deliberate selfharm have gone up and we’re certainly seeing more referrals to Head Space.”

Last year, Tamborine Mountain State High School issued the highest number of short suspensions per student population, recording 281 short-term suspensions out of 878 enrolments.

The school also issued 11 long suspensions and 10 exclusions.

Conversely, Varsity College in Varsity Lakes, which had 3106 students in 2016, issued 223 short suspensions and two long suspensions. They recorded nine cancellations and 10 exclusions.

Other schools with high short suspensions per student population included: Pacific Pines State High School (348), Ormeau Woods State High School (299), Elanora State High School (198), and Keebra Park State High School (173).

Nerang State School, which has 354 sutdents, issued 105 short-term suspensions.

A Department of Education spokesperson said of the 66 schools on the list, no state school principal on the Gold Coast would comment.

“We have undertaken significant work to support principals to use graduated and measured responses to behavioural issues in line with the school’s Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students, which is supported through the school community,” the spokesperson said.

A school principal, not wanting to be named, said the data could not accurately be used to signify trends as multiple numbers of suspensions could be down to one issue or student.

“Principals try to look at all the options,” the source said of discipline resources available.

“It all comes back to parent and community expectations, they really drive (how incidents are dealt with).

“Any issue of drugs and premeditated violence can’t be accepted anywhere in school.”