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TWO South Australian teachers are being investigated as part of a nationwide crackdown on child pornography, police confirmed last night. The Advertiser has learnt that the male teachers were employed by the Education Department. They are believed to have been teaching secondary students, but one has resigned and teaching approval has been withdrawn from the second man. It is not known if either had passed compulsory background checks introduced in 1997 for new teachers in the state education system. Neither police nor the Education Department would comment last night on where the two teachers had been working. However, police moved to reassure parents there was no evidence that either had been involved in inappropriate behaviour with their students. "We can advise that two people currently under investigation are school teachers," Assistant Commissioner Madeleine Glynn said. "They are currently not in contact with students, they will not be teaching and there is nothing to suggest that these people have had any inappropriate contact with students. "Dealing with any present risk to children was at the forefront of (the national operation) and appropriate strategies were put in place to facilitate intervention and notification as required." Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith told The advertiser that she had taken immediate steps to sack the other. "I am disturbed to hear that two teachers are currently under investigation," she said. "Immediate steps have been taken and these people will no longer be teaching in our schools." The Education Department refused to comment on the investigation last night. But the revelations come as the Catholic Education Office called for immediate police checks on its teachers. Thirty-eight South Australians are now under police investigation as part of the nationwide operation. That number is expected to rise to 40 by early next week. "Inquiries are continuing into a total of 38 people, who have had electronic equipment and other items seized," Assistant Commissioner Glynn said. "An additional two investigations are also to commence shortly. "We are still not at the point where we can formally charge or summons any of those people reported or under investigation. "Investigations are progressing in accordance with evidentiary requirements." Police investigations have cleared a further two men - including one government worker - caught up in the Operation Auxin net. Assistant Commissioner Glynn said the elimination of the two men from the investigation vindicated the police decision not to release details of those under investigation. "This underscores the importance of allowing investigations to take their natural course," she said. "As investigations are ongoing, we cannot release further details about people under investigation until such time as people are summonsed or charged." Adelaide Advertiser (8-10-2004) Edith Bevin |
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