Mark Cummins’ school fight proceeds to Parliament standing committee as key figures argue

South West MLC Steve Thomas says he intends to test the accuracy of statements made in Parliament by Education Minister Sue Ellery to dismiss the campaign by a local teacher for an inquiry into mental health guidelines in WA schools.

Dr Thomas sponsored a parliamentary petition organised by Margaret River-based teacher Mark Cummins calling for a parliamentary inquiry into schools allegedly failing to follow protocols known as the School Response and Planning Guidelines for Students with Suicidal Behaviour and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury.

Mr Cummins and three other staff members resigned from St Mary MacKillop College after the death of a student last year, claiming it failed to notify parents or put risk-management plans in place when students disclosed thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Ms Ellery said in Parliament last week a subsequent departmental review found no evidence of “systemic failure” and the guidelines — developed by the department in 2018 — were recommended but not mandatory.

She doubled down this week in response to criticisms from Mr Cummins that reporting sexual assault was mandatory and students reporting suicidal thoughts or self-harm should trigger the same response.

“There is no intention to put in place mandatory reporting for disclosures of suicidal ideation,” Ms Ellery said.

A spokesperson for the Minister’s office said mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse applied in many professions and stemmed from a royal commission.

The spokesperson reiterated that the departmental review “found that most of Mr Cummins’ claims were unsubstantiated”.

“In areas where his claims could be substantiated — the school not uploading information on to the student records system — Catholic Education WA has provided evidence of improvements in its processes to rectify the shortcomings identified,” they said.

A standing committee will now call for more submissions to determine if a full investigation of the claims in Mr Cummins’ petition is needed.

Dr Thomas told the Times he was limited in what else he could say because of strict parliamentary protocols.

“This Minister indicated to the Parliament on the 10th of August that the School Response and Planning Guidelines for Students with Suicidal Behaviour and non-Suicidal self-Injury document was an additional tool for educators and schools to use, but was not compulsory,” he said.

“I intend to test the accuracy of this.”

Mr Cummins said he was astonished no one involved in the departmental review contacted him for his input, given he was the one to raise concerns the guidelines were not being followed.

He said most of the items identified as underway at the college were actions he introduced while he was employed there as a teacher.

“The guidelines were endorsed in 2018 and only now are education sectors making this a priority,” he said.

“It’s not good enough.”

Mr Cummins said he would make a submission to the standing committee.

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