President joins anti-bullying taskforce
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 123 No 2, 9 March 2018, p6
QTU President Kevin Bates is to join a government taskforce looking at how to tackle bullying and cyber-bullying.
The 14-member Queensland Anti-Bullying Task Force will provide the Queensland Government with detailed advice and coordination, and is due to deliver an action plan in August.
The taskforce’s terms of reference are to:
- develop a framework for addressing bullying
- advise government on a program of activities under the framework
- advise government on resources, best practices and other strategies to prevent and address bullying behaviour in order to provide appropriate training and intervention
- consult with the Queensland community to gain the insights of those affected by bullying
- educate and engage Queenslanders to create a community that practices positive attitudes and behaviours and promotes a culture of non-violence and respectful relationships
- act as a liaison point between the community and government to encourage ownership of initiatives.
The QTU is keen to moderate expectations that schools should be given sole responsibility for addressing this issue, and to protect against the inclination to mandate certain programs or adopt a commercial package. While the taskforce is focused on addressing the impact of bullying on young people, the QTU has made strong representations about the impact on teachers and principals.
The QTU will consult with members across the state in the development of contributions to the work of the taskforce.