QLD Allegation for racism

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Justme70

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15 May 2020
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I'm teaching in an RTO and my student sent email to my manager, she doesn't like me because I'm rude and racist this is what she said in her email. The student is from India and I didn't allowed her to finish certificate IV in 3 months and I didn't allowed her she is backdating her logbook. I never speak with her rude and I was always helpful. I teaching so long and also myself coming from a multicultural background so I understand racism is a very serious issue that is not accepted especially if we teach international students. She complained before about many thing but non of them were true so this was her last card. What can I do with this allegation? Just leave it ? Obviously it hurt me because I know it's not true and I don't want this type of allegation would be used in future.
 

Rob Legat - SBPL

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16 February 2017
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You can't do anything but participate in the dispute resolution process. All RTOs are required to have internal dispute resolution procedures, so the best thing you can do is to make sure that the RTO fully complies with those procedures. Disclosure all relevant details to them (i.e. non-completion, backdating logbooks, previous unsubstantiated complaints). The logbook issue is especially relevant if the qualification has mandatory minimum periods for practical training and participation, like in child care.

Doing this will not only protect your position, but will also help deal with the complaint much quicker if/when ASQA gets ahold of it.
 
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Rod

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I agree with Rob.

While you may have a case for defamation, unless you lose your job over false statements, it is probably not worth pursuing.
 

Poidah

Well-Known Member
9 November 2017
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Qld
my student sent email to my manager

Rob and Rod are amazing as usual. What advice did your manager give? You may need to escalate it more formally if your manager did not respond in a written or formal way.
Have you raised issues around academic integrity for the student? Backdating is a serious issue and you can hopefully follow your RTO's policy on that. Would be good if you could get another trainer/assessor to independently evaluate and comment on her logbook and detail the issues. Ideally your manager would step up, but it is important that the student recognise the issue of accountability etc. It is not about racism or favourism that may occur overseas, it is about transparency etc.
 

Justme70

Member
15 May 2020
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Thank you for all of you the advices.
Some updates for this issue:
Student called for interview where she came late. We gave her the documents that she need to fill out for formal complain. She find an other RTO where she can finish the course in her timeframe and we are happy to withdraw her from the course. She apologised for her email and we let her go.