Private school boys expelled over list ranking female classmates on appearance

Two boys person been expelled from an exclusive backstage schoolhouse successful Melbourne’s eastbound aft producing a spreadsheet that utilized disparaging connection to complaint pistillate classmates’ appearances.

Yarra Valley Grammar main Dr Mark Merry announced the determination successful a connection connected Tuesday morning, saying helium had formed the presumption that the presumption of the students had go “untenable” astatine the school.

Yarra Valley Grammar School main Dr Mark Merry.Credit: Eddie Jim

“As a consequence, they volition not beryllium returning to the school,” helium said.

The boys were among a radical of 4 twelvemonth 11 students suspended from the Ringwood schoolhouse aft sharing a spreadsheet of photos of their pistillate classmates to messaging app Discord, ranking them successful categories including “wifeys”, “cuties”, “mid”, “object”, “get out” and past yet “unrapable”.

Merry said others who played a lesser relation successful the substance had been taxable to “further disciplinary action”. He said the schoolhouse had wanted to guarantee those liable were held accountable for their actions.

“The probe of this contented has been analyzable and clip consuming and can’t beryllium rushed and I convey our students and families for your patience and assurance arsenic we ensured that each the circumstances were known,” helium said.

“The past week has evidently been a hard 1 for our assemblage … I americium saddened that the actions of a fewer individuals tin origin truthful overmuch harm arsenic societal media has the powerfulness to amplify the harm that tin beryllium done and the anguish inflicted.”

Merry said Yarra Valley Grammar was characterised by respectful relationships “most of the time”.

“Clearly though, much enactment needs to beryllium done to guarantee that everyone feels valued and respected present astatine school,” helium said.

“While we behaviour regular sessions connected respectful relationships and exemplary attraction and respect successful each that we do; this has not been enough. We volition beryllium reviewing each of our programs to guarantee that the dignity of each is respected. This needs to beryllium a learning infinitesimal for each of us.”

The main said helium accepted the incidental had occurred astatine his school, but that behaviour was not circumstantial to Yarra Valley Grammar.

“Sexism and misogyny are ever contiguous successful our nine and it is the work of each of america – families, teachers, the media, workmates and friends – to basal up and marque it wide that it is not acceptable anywhere.”

The schoolhouse became alert of the station past Wednesday, and by Friday the students had been suspended pending further investigation. The parents of the girls pictured successful the station were notified by the school.

Loading

Merry said connected Monday helium had besides contacted police.

There are 185 students successful twelvemonth 11 astatine the prestigious co-ed schoolhouse successful Ringwood, which costs astir $30,000 a twelvemonth per student.

Monash University societal sciences lecturer Dr Stephanie Westcott, who is an adept connected sexism successful schools, said the school’s determination to expel the students represented a prioritisation of girls’ information astatine schoolhouse and their close to an acquisition without fearfulness of sexism oregon intersexual harassment.

“However, this lawsuit is conscionable an illustration of a nationalist occupation of wide intersexual harassment, sexism and misogyny successful schools,” she said.

“It’s a occupation requiring a meaningful, targeted and semipermanent effect from government. Unfortunately, the Albanese government’s caller backing and argumentation announcement connected gendered unit against women ignored schools arsenic places of precedence intervention.

“Until we spot enactment from government, these incidents volition proceed to occur.”

With Christine Ahern

Support is disposable from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service astatine 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

Most Viewed successful National

Loading