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Aurukun school decision won't be rushed

Queensland's premier says a decision on the direction of schooling in the troubled town of Aurukun won't be rushed and will be driven by the community.

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Elder Phyllis Yunkaporta has spoken out against violence and tension in the town before. Source: Stefan Armbruster SBS, SBS

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Source: AAP


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A decision on the future of schooling in the troubled indigenous township of Aurukun won't be rushed and will be driven by the community, Queensland's premier says.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has promised a review into Aurukun's only school, to begin this week, will take the concerns of elders and the local council on board.

"We need to listen to the community about what is the best education service for the students," she said on Sunday.

"We're not going to rush this, we are going to get it right."

Elders have already floated a "tough love" approach that would involve taking troubled teens out bush to work on cattle stations and hunt, which Ms Palaszczuk said was a good idea.

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The review into Noel Pearson's Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy campus was ordered on Friday after the school was closed for a second time in a fortnight due to safety concerns.

Mr Pearson, whose education model has been under fire, has accused the government of using the school as a scapegoat when it decided to close it on Wednesday.

Staff members were evacuated after children as young as six allegedly threw rocks at security guards and attempted to break into a car near the teachers' accommodation.

The school's principal, Scott Fatnowa, has also been car-jacked twice in two weeks.

Queensland Teachers' Union president Kevin Bates has also said the Aurukun community needs to be involved in deciding the future direction of the school.

An experienced principal and two teachers will be flown to Aurukun on Monday to support students in a distance education program being run out of the local PCYC.

The school, which has 300-odd students, will remain closed until at least the start of term three.


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