Darwin teacher takes registration board to tribunal after her suspension - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Bindi Isis is seeking a review of the Teacher Registration Board's preliminary decision to suspend her registration. (ABC News)

Darwin teacher Bindi Isis is challenging a preliminary decision by the Northern Territory's Teacher Registration Board to suspend her registration, pending further investigation.

In documents filed with NTCAT, the board says the decision to suspend Ms Isis's registration followed a complaint from a principal and was made pending an inquiry into the allegations.

The dispute was due to return to the NT Civil and Adminstrative Tribunal for a closed compulsory conference today.

A Darwin teacher has challenged an interim decision by the Northern Territory's Teacher Registration Board (TRB) to suspend her registration while conducting an inquiry into allegations relating to "child welfare, psychological safety, professional judgement and fitness to teach".

According to documents filed with the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT), the TRB suspended Bindi Isis's registration in May following a complaint by a school principal.

The teacher of 25 years' experience alleges the board failed to properly assess the reliability and context of the allegations.

In its response filed with NTCAT, the TRB says it "did not make final findings of misconduct before exercising its suspension power" and it assessed whether the information it had was sufficient to "justify interim action in relation to [Ms Isis's] ongoing ability to teach pending the outcome of the Inquiry".

Bindi Isis says she has been working as a teacher for 25 years. (ABC News: Timothy Ailwood)

"The substance of the complaint by [the principal] alleges serious misconduct," the TRB wrote.

The TRB said material submitted with the complaint noted Ms Isis's "employment had been terminated" in February this year for "serious misconduct following an investigation by her employer which substantiated all but one of the allegations made against her".

However, Ms Isis noted her final day of teaching students at the school was October 13, 2025.

In her initiating application filed with NTCAT, Ms Isis said the TRB relied "wholly upon a notification" made by a principal, which she argued included "significant mischaracterisations, exaggerations, subjective opinions and speculative assertions that were not supported by particulars and/or evidence".

"The allegations within the notification formed the core of a workplace dispute," she wrote.

"Much of the supporting materials represent clear conflicts of interest. This material should not have been accepted without careful scrutiny."

Ms Isis adds that prior to its decision to suspend her registration, she provided a "detailed response" to the TRB in April that included a "timeline of the workplace dispute, evidence of professional competence, letters of support from parents and colleagues and reports confirming the applicant's fitness to teach".

Bindi Isis says the registration board gave too much weight to the allegations and not enough to her supporting evidence. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)

Ms Isis also says she was "never subject to formal performance management, disciplinary findings, or adverse professional assessments".

"[Ms Isis] was never given opportunity to restore a working relationship with her principal," the documents read.

She also writes that following her leaving the school and "a protracted dispute", she and the school "entered into a settlement deed and the school publicly acknowledged [Ms Isis's] positive contribution and dedicated service".

In its response, the TRB said the complaint it received included "supporting documentary material, evidence of a lengthy performance management history, complaints from parents and staff, incident reports, correspondence, a return-to-work assessment, and [Ms Isis's] written response".

The Teacher Registration Board says the complaints related to multiple incidents. (Supplied: Adobe)

"The allegations made were not isolated or confined to a single event," the TRB wrote.

"They include a pattern of conduct spanning several years and involved concerns raised by multiple sources, including school leadership, staff, parents and external consultants.

"The allegations were not limited to a workplace dispute.

"The board was entitled to consider the cumulative effect of those matters when assessing risk.

"To allow [Ms Isis] to continue to teach pending the outcome of the inquiry would expose children, families and schools to an unacceptable and potentially irreparable risk if the concerns are ultimately established."

In the documents, Ms Isis said the suspension had prevented her from "working in her profession, caused significant financial hardship, is disrupting to her studies and damages her professional reputation whilst affecting present and future career prospects".

"[Ms Isis] is a single parent, a full-time student and the primary carer of a son with an intellectual disability," the documents read.

Bindi Isis says the suspension was a "severe and disproportionate" response from the registration board. (ABC News: Cason Ho)

"Prior to suspension she had recommenced supporting her family with the income derived from teaching, obtaining work as a relief teacher.

"The consequences of the suspension are severe and disproportionate to the evidence relied upon by the TRB.

"[Ms Isis] remains a fit and proper person to teach, and her continued exclusion from the profession is not necessary for public protection.

"Her work is recognised as having ongoing value to our NT community."

In its response, the TRB argues the decision to suspend Ms Isis's registration was "reasonable, proportionate and consistent with the protective purpose" of the legislation.

"The decision of the board should therefore be affirmed and the notification to interstate registration bodies should remain in place," it said.

The dispute was scheduled for a closed compulsory conference at NTCAT today.