Loophole puts kids at risk

HEARING a teacher’s aide had allegedly shown a naked photo of himself to Townsville primary school students was enough to send panic through the school community.

The incident revealed how full- time staff were allowed to start working with children while their Blue Card application was pending. Most parents would have no idea this sloppy process was allowed to go unchecked. It took an article in the

to expose a loophole in the Blue Card child protection system — the very system which provides peace of mind for parents who entrust the care of their children to virtual strangers.

In this case, this employee was allowed to work at the school without a Blue Card for five months. This is seriously disturbing.

But what’s more disturbing is that the Palaszczuk Government is only promising to review this system if re- elected.

In the meantime, what do parents do? Send their children to school and hope that everyone who works with their child has passed the relevant background checks? That’s not good enough. Child safety must come before politics and this issue must be resolved.

For the families whose young children were allegedly exposed to this disgusting behaviour in what should be a safe place of learning — the Government’s election pledge is too little, too late.

They don’t just want to hear the Government will try to do better next time. They want those responsible to be punished appropriately and they want to know it will never, ever happen again.

It’s difficult to see how parents’ faith and trust in the education system can be restored until this matter is resolved.

Even taking into account the fact these are, at this stage, mere allegations, it is hard to fathom how our leaders upon hearing them can do no better than undertake to take a look at the cause.

This loophole must be closed immediately.