Canberra teacher fired for bringing 3D-printed replica gun to school

A high school teacher in Canberra with 22 years of experience has been dismissed following an incident in April 2025 where she brought a 3D-printed replica handgun to her workplace. The digital technology and maths teacher had manufactured the prohibited firearm at home using plans downloaded from the internet to demonstrate the capabilities of 3D-printing technology to her students.

According to a Fair Work Commission decision, the teacher showed the replica to a supervisor in a staffroom, imitating the act of preparing to fire the weapon. Although the supervisor instructed her to put the item away and the teacher did not show it to students, the incident was reported to the school principal and the Australian Federal Police.

Commissioner Sarah McKinnon dismissed the teacher's claim that her dismissal was disproportionate, noting an “astonishing lack of judgement” for an experienced educator. Police subsequently seized the 3D-printed handgun and printing equipment from the teacher's home and issued a formal caution.