There's something about Peter Richards

It would seem that Peter Richards, a teacher at the problematic Carenne School is like a cat with nine lives, being protected by someone high up in the department.

Peter Richards' behaviour first came to SEA staff's attention when he was reported for using inappropriate behaviour management techniques. A parent complained that they had gone to the school and observed their son sitting at a desk outside the classroom with one arm tied to the desk. The parent untied their child and had a heated argument with Mr Richards.

When Lyn Duncan was asked about the arrangement, she denied that it happened and claimed that she was aware of who made the complaint and that they were known to staff at the school for being liars.

Complaints have been made about Richards leaving his classroom through the middle of the day, leaving students under the sole supervision of the class' aide so that he can go outside the school for a cigarette. This is a serious breach of both the department's duty of care to students and child protection guidelines.

Richards was then under the spotlight when it was discovered that he had been having an extra-marital affair with an aide at the school - Prue Luffman. This was not behaviour which upheld the reputation of the department or acting ethically and responsibly and breached the code of conduct. Despite this, nothing was done about it apart from Prue Luffman being offered no further work at the school.

In what should have been the straw that broke the camel's back, it was learned in April that Peter Richards had a drug problem, being a habitual marijuana smoker for years. He was admitted to hospital to get off the drugs but later relapsed, with his addiction being so bad that staff at Carenne have smelt the smell of marijuana on him when he is at school.

Richards' use of marijuana breaches the code of conduct, yet Peter Harvey has done nothing about it. The department has in the past dismissed employees who were charged with drink driving, claiming that it proved that they had an unaddressed alcohol problem.

Why Peter Richards receives special treatment compared to other teachers in the district remains a mystery.