Latest In lifestyle
E-health records for dead people
Sue Dunlevy National Health Reporter DEAD people are being given e-health records in the latest bungle involving the beleaguered $1 billion government program.
Queen of style’s Coast apartment
Hannah Sbeghen ELIZABETH McMahon’s highrise pad overlooking the ocean could very well be the envy of all women.
Coast mansion fit for a movie star
Aleisha Pidgeon IF WALLS could talk there would be a story or two coming from this Isle of Capri mansion.
ADF chiefs have priorities mixed up
Defence chiefs’ letter to the editor was just management waffle.
Teen cyberbullying scourge revealed
Lauren Wilson Social Affairs Writer DOCTORING images to humiliate classmates — some aged just 12 — is the latest vile trend of cyber bullies. These are some of the ways you can put a stop to it.
What Aussie men need to know
Em Rusciano AFTER a shocking week filled with a new level of ‘online douchery’, Em Rusciano has one message for the people raising the men of Australia.
‘I’ve hated the last 10 years of my life’
Rohan Smith THERE are some things society still refuses to talk about. One man decided he’d had enough of staying quiet about his struggle with depression.
Tax deductions for cars rev up
Anthony Keane TAXPAYERS are claiming larger work-related car expenses - but rule changes to be introduced this year are set to slow down many motorists.
School Life
Stop panicking about your panty lines
JESINTA Campbell was so worried about “visible panty lines” on the red carpet that she ditched her undies altogether. She shouldn’t have cared.
Students sorry for ‘misogynistic’ song
APOLOGIES have been made, but is it enough? This is a party college, critics say, and this ugly song has been sung for five years.
Why Islamic schools lost funding
A CONTROVERSIAL Islamic school in Sydney is fighting to stay open after the government cut off millions in funding after a review of six institutions.
Students’ throats cut in play mishap
TWO students at an exclusive school were hospitalised when a production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street became all too real.
A mother’s long walk of shame
WOMAN who made her two children walk 4km to school after missing the bus is now facing child neglect charges.
$2 billion spent screwing up our kids?
A WHILE back, the Australian government spent more than $2 billion on laptops for our children at school. It may have been the absolute wrong thing to do.
First-graders’ plot to kill classmate
THREE first-grade girls who had plotted to kill their classmate with silica gel sachets have been suspended.
Radical idea to abandon school funding
MALCOLM Turnbull has floated the idea of giving up funding public education and handing that responsibility to the states.
Kid’s rude response to test question
A LITTLE girl’s hilarious answer to a primary school test question has gone viral after her mother posted it on social media.
No eggs? Count your blessings
IS IT possible that those children whose parents stole their Easter eggs on the weekend learned a valuable life lesson?
Don’t say this in parent-teacher interview
THEY’RE important dates to understand your child’s progress. But it’s time to lay out a few rules, says a teacher who’s seen it all.
Parents call for primary-age Safe Schools
MUMS and dads of transgender children are calling for the divisive anti-bullying program to be compulsory for under-12s.
Rapper mum trying way too hard
A ‘CONCERNED’ Canadian mum has made a rap video in response to Alberta’s push for all-gender inclusive bathrooms, and it’s a train wreck.
Why your kids should do yoga
THE winner of a prestigious teaching award says more teachers should introduce yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices in Australian classrooms.
The app all parents should know about
A POWERFUL new app is aiming to change the way we communicate online. And it could be lifesaving.
More than just condoms on bananas
OLD fashioned sex education classes just won’t cut it any longer with students wanting to know about more than just the birds and the bees.
The boy who couldn’t beat his bullies
15-YEAR-OLD Nathan Whitmore was mercilessly threatened, bullied and bashed at school before trying to end his life. He’s written a powerful plea for help.
Bully’s emotional reunion with victim
LISTEN: An Adelaide woman who admits she systematically bullied a classmate almost 30 years ago has emotional reunion with her victim on radio.
Fight of the ‘knuckle-draggers’
A SCHOOL program designed to promote understanding of sexual diversity has passed a review squeaky clean. That doesn’t mean the fight is over.
MPs furious with Safe Schools review
A REPORT into a controversial schools anti-bullying program hasn’t even been released and its already casting a storm in Coalition ranks.
Shock at elite school’s anti-Semitic chants
“JEW FC” and “f***ing Jew” were chorused by fans of an elite school during a friendly match against the Jewish Moriah College.
Energy drink ban over ‘high-risk sex’
A UNIVERSITY has banned the sale of energy drinks on campus because it says the drinks may lead to “high-risk sexual activity” and alcohol abuse.
Obvious thing holding girls back
IF WE want to know why little girls don’t play sport like their male peers, look no further than their uniforms.
‘I was on the top of his kill list’
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has penned a heartbreaking letter to Victorian Education Minister James Merlino about his suicide attempts and self harm.
Man successfully poses as high-schooler
IN a bizarre plan to stay in the US, a 23-year-old pretended to be a high school student after his visa ran out and quickly became the big man on campus.
‘My son was suspended for self-defence’
JAMIESON Reid is a quiet nine-year-old who keeps to himself and loves to read. But when he was a victim of bullying, his school punished him for the incident.
‘Our children did not choose this’
THE Safe Schools Coalition came into Jo Hirst’s child’s school to teach a very important lesson. Without it, she says her son might not be there.
Should we be teaching this to our kids?
IT’S the controversial program that teaches 11-year-old children to imagine what it’s like to have no genitals. So is it good or bad for our kids?
Always check before hitting send
PARENTS at a primary school were left fuming after the office accidentally emailed them an “embarrassing” document.
Student grit not linked to school success
IT sounds like the news no parent wants to hear — a student’s grit has little direct impact on their grades.
School canteen menus have gone crazy
WHAT happened to Orchy cups, chicken drummies and finger buns? Who really wants a sugar-free oat balls? Being a kid just ain’t what it used to be.
‘What are you teaching your kids?’
GINGER Gorman has written a powerful open letter to the mother who pulled her children out of high school because of the principal.
Aussie students in global partnership
AUSSIE students will gain access to a new range of international expertise under a historic tie-up with overseas universities.
Helicopter parents go way too far
IT’S like a plot line from The O.C. Here’s how a petty squabble between two parents and a primary school volunteer ended with both parents in jail and a $8.9m payout.
School denies encouraging boys to wear dresses
A MOTHER has threatened to pull her children out of their school because she believed boys were told they could wear dresses and use the girls’ toilet.
Another day of schools targeted
FOR the sixth school day in a row, multiple schools across Australia — including primary schools — have received hoax bomb calls, forcing evacuations.
‘It’s near impossible’: Teacher’s viral post
A TEACHER’S Facebook post explaining why she had to quit the job she loved - and why the profession is in crisis - has clearly struck a nerve.
Was the bomb hoaxer paid?
THE bomb threats that gripped schools this week may have emerged from the dark web, where someone is accepting money to send recorded messages.
How we’re making it harder for our own kids
SCHOOL is scarcely back in for the year, and your children might already be feeling the stress. But did you realise you might be the source of it?
Schools emptied as threats continue
BREAKING: Schools in three Australian states are again being emptied after serious threats were received this morning.
Daycare worker ‘throws, beats boy’
A DISTURBING video has emerged allegedly showing a daycare centre director slapping and throwing around a four-year-old boy. WARNING: Distressing.
Bomb hoaxes ‘traced’ to elite school
A TOP Victorian school has been linked to the wave of terrifying hoax calls that were made to schools throughout the state last week.
Difference between primary and high school
KYLIE Orr’s daughter started primary school today, while her son started high school. Their first days couldn’t have been more stark.
Travel card that’s too tricky to use
IT’S the new travel smartcard designed to save users money. But it’s so difficult to use, critics say it could actually add to people’s travel costs.
School bomb threat: ‘Bloodbath in 40 minutes’
UP to seven schools across NSW were evacuated after they received a simultaneous computerised bomb threat warning of “a bloodbath in 40 minutes”.
Hero principal dies saving students
A US primary school principal was seen pushing several students out of the way of an oncoming bus before the vehicle fatally struck her.
‘Who the hell is she to judge?’
OPINION: As parents rejoice about surviving the school holidays, there’s one thing they really don’t need: To be judged at school drop off.
‘I should be able to wear what I like’
PARENTS have ignored a principal’s desperate plea for them to stop wearing pyjamas on the school run — by turning up in their nightwear again.
Principal bans parents from wearing pyjamas
DO YOU rock your PJs during the school drop off in the morning? This principal has had enough and has told parents to “have a wash and get dressed”.
Starting school when you can’t hear
IT’S SCARY enough starting school for any new student, but what if they are deaf? Here’s how Haydn and Olive will combat their first day of kindy.
Ridiculous things parents say to teachers
IT’S the most challenging part of any teacher’s job: dealing with parents. Here, Australian teachers reveal the most ridiculous things they’ve been asked.
Biggest issue with school lunch boxes
WHILE many are aware packaged snacks and white bread sandwiches are not the best options, the biggest issue with school lunch boxes is rarely discussed.
Police quiz boy after spelling error
A 10-YEAR-OLD Muslim boy made a simple mistake in his English class that saw him questioned by police and his family’s computer seized.
School scraps uniform for transgender students
A TOP independent school has become the first to scrap its uniform policy to accommodate transgender students, breaking with hundreds of years of tradition.
Outrage at teacher’s spelling shockers
A YEAR six teacher is under fire after preparing spelling homework riddled with embarrassing blunders. The kids’ parents aren’t impressed.
Why the outrage over these $2 uniforms?
THEY’RE the “back to school” sales causing a stir. But why are people outraged by these cheap uniforms, over everything else?
Trinity Grammar reels over sex claims
A BOY has been removed from Sydney’s Trinity Grammar school and at least eight others offered counselling after a string of sexual abuses among the Year One boys.
The language Aussie kids learn fast
IT might just be the fastest growing language among Aussie preschoolers who are quickly picking up the tongue of one of our nearest neighbours.
‘So rotten, so moody’: Teen girl’s evil plan
IN A deeply disturbing journal entry, Sienna wrote that she was “rotten” and “infested”. She planned to take out her angst on the rest of the world.
Embattled head of private school resigns
THE head of a private Sydney girls’ school has resigned after students, parents and former teachers called for her dismissal in a social media campaign.
Prince enjoys first day of preschool
PROUD parents William and Kate dropped Prince George off at the $68-a-day nursery near their mansion. See the cute pics.
University’s awkward email stuff-up
THOUSANDS of students thought they had been accepted to the university of their choice. In fact, the university had stuffed up big time.
Scandal at world’s oldest uni
IT’S the world’s oldest and most elite institution. Now one student has managed to force Oxford to back down.
12-year-old jailed over bomb ‘joke’
A YOUNG Sikh boy has spent three days in a juvenile detention centre after his classmate said his school backpack contained a bomb.
‘I blew my final exams, and now I’m rich’
STUDENTS awaiting — or despairing — over their final high school results should read the story of multi-millionaire Nick Bell.
Student’s cheeky exam answer
THE internet loves nothing more than a cheeky answer from a school student, and this kid is clearly the king of them.
Bullying victim’s heartbreaking words
A VIDEO showing a youngster pleading “What did I do?” as a bully punches and kicks him at the gates of a Victorian school is going viral.
Internet loves student’s exam answer
A CHEEKY student has won over the internet after answering an exam question in the most literal way possible.
80 kids infected in chickenpox outbreak
CHICKENPOX is rife through a Melbourne primary school, which welcomes children who have not been vaccinated.
Shock as high school results lob in
HIGH school leavers have been put out of their misery with their final scores revealed. Some of the results are absolutely stunning.
Prestigious private girls’ school in turmoil
A SECOND private school run by the Uniting Church has come under fire, as unhappy students and parents push for the principal to resign.
‘People love bad stories on good schools’
SARAH Haynes received a standing ovation for her farewell speech as Ravenswood’s captain. Now her address is being criticised as “less than noble”.
‘Bullying’ behind school captain’s speech
RAVENSWOOD School has sent a letter to parents saying its school captain’s fiery speech was inspired by “an incident of alleged bullying”.
Teen voted top of ‘ugly list’ hits back
LYNELLE Cantwell was voted the ‘ugliest girl in grade 12’ in an awful online straw poll. Now she’s fought back against her cyber bullies.
Teens doubt job prospects
A NEW study shows the depths of despair among Aussie youth about their futures. This is how tough it is for our kids.
Girl schools love rat with cutting note
A YOUNG girl has brought down the notorious school Lothario with this hilarious note.
The most baffling ‘vandal’ attack ever?
TWO middle-aged men with a can of grey paint have carried out a cruel act of ‘vandalism’ that has left Melburians scratching their heads.
Has madness gripped America?
GROUPS of angry youth are waging a nasty war. And the growing backlash has people asking if America has lost its marbles.
Bulletproof blankets for school kids
BULLETPROOF blankets are being rolled out across America, in a bid to protect children from weapons that have been used in previous school shootings.
Teacher’s epic reply to awful text
AN openly gay drama teacher received this message from a concerned mother. His response to her will make your day.
Bible teachings at school forbidden
STUDENTS in state schools can sing Christmas carols in class but are banned from studying the bible or other religious texts
Meet the world’s loneliest boy
NEXT time you’re on the couch, feeling alone or a little down and out — spare a thought for this kid, who is the only pupil at his Scottish school.
The new breed of Ku Klux Klan?
A HIGH school is in major damage control after a photo was posted to social media depicting an alarming new trend.
The new craze that could kill schoolies
AUTHORITIES fear this stomach-turning new trend will be responsible for more schoolies deaths this year. A crackdown is looming.
What sort of lunch box packer are you?
AN experiment has lifted the lid on some distinct lunch box styles, from the overly fruity to works of art complete with heart-shaped bread. How do you do it?
Nightclub not ‘appropriate’ for school trip
THIS is one lesson the Education Department thinks students don’t need — trips to nightclubs to learn about drugs, alcohol and partying.
Mum wants school to let son die
THE MUM of a terminally ill teen has pulled him out of school because officials won’t honour a directive to let the boy die if he goes into cardiac arrest.
The big change coming to NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing is controversial and divisive, but changes are coming that might be welcomed by most.
School forces girl out over gay dad
A SEVEN-year-old girl has been forced out of a private school after staff members banned her from speaking about her gay father.
‘Povo’ students hit back at snobs
BOYS from a $25,000-a-year private school posted something nasty on Facebook. Now the targets of that post have put them in their place.
‘Public school kids are povos and retards’
AFTER public school kids slammed their elitist private counterparts over an online sledging match, experts have said the incident is part of a larger, worrying trend.
Violent desk-flipping cop sacked
A COP filmed violently flipping a female high school student from her classroom chair has been fired, with the FBI set to investigate.
Spoilt rich kids are scoring ridiculous gifts
THE life of a rich kid is full of first world problems. For instance, how can you be expected to get good marks at school without a little monetary incentive?
Happy now? Frat boys grin after assault
FIVE frat boys charged in a brutal beating that left another student concussed and with bruised lungs were pictured grinning in police mugshots.
Dad’s creative notes to his kids’ school
YOU wouldn’t want to be late in this household. One dad is so fed up with his kids’ inability to get ready on time, he has taken to writing creative letters and publicly shaming his children.
‘A bloodthirsty version of The Hunger Games’
LOOKING back, do any of us really think all that HSC trauma was worth it? Five years on, here’s what one former stress-head has to say about it.
Why exams are the most important thing you’ll do
EVERYONE knows that the HSC exams are the be all and end all, right? You’ll be given a number, and that number will define you for the rest of your life. NOT.
Why you shouldn’t do your kid’s homework
A NEW Australian study has suggested parents are helping children cheat by completing their homework. So when should you step in?
Students crack under weight of expectation
NEW research has revealed the reality of exam stress on children, and one in five Year 12 students have admitted to considering distressing action because of exam or homework pressure.
Taking the stress out of exams
MELISSA Doyle and Mark Ferguson are just two of the big names offering surprisingly candid advice to students about to embark on their school exams.
