The parents of an expelled Year 12 Blackfriars Priory School’s student have been left devastated

The devastated parents of a student expelled from an elite SA private school say their son has been a “scapegoat” and is paying a “disproportionately hefty price”.

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The devastated parents of a Year 12 student expelled from an all-boys’ private school say their son has been made a scapegoat for a foolish schoolboy prank on a rival college and is paying a disproportionately “hefty price”.

The northern suburbs couple is considering taking legal action over Blackfriars Priory School’s “unfair” treatment of the 17-year-old, who has had his enrolment terminated, leaving him unable to finish his Year 12 subjects, sit his maths exam or graduate from high school.

Students posed for pictures as a rival college's sports jacket was set on fire. One student has been expelled with their parents claiming he’s been a ‘scapegoat’. Picture: 7NEWS

“It’s taken a huge toll on our family,” said the student’s distraught mum.

“He’s been treated so unfairly. We can’t understand why and I have been a mess.”

The couple’s son – who was vice-captain of the school’s First XVIII football team until he broke his wrist in July – was part of a cohort of Blackfriars football and soccer players celebrating their Intercol win over rival Christian Brothers’ College at St Dominic’s Oval in the northern parklands on August 22.

During the night, students tried to set fire to a CBC jumper with a cigarette lighter. After several attempts, the couple’s son eventually made a fire strike. Video of the prank was later leaked to the media and made front-page news in The Advertiser.

Despite 26 boys being present, the school accused the couple’s son of being a “key contributor” in organising the fiery incident. He and one other student were the only ones expelled. The boys are not accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

“He didn’t take the jacket, he didn’t take a lighter, he didn’t ask anyone to bring a lighter ... there’s no intention from my kid,” the mum said.

The parents agreed that the prank needed to be disciplined but “the punishment doesn’t fit the crime”.

‘It’s taken a huge toll on our family,” said the distraught mother of the expelled student. Picture: 7NEWS

“What was done was not an expellable offence yet they decided to take two kids and make an example of them and how that was decided, we have no idea,” said the dad, who admitted to being “angry”.

“The decision is final, there’s no one for us to talk to or appeal to. I just see the completely unfair aspect of this and the way we were treated.”

The parents said two other serious incidents at the school over the past two years had not been treated so harshly. A student who was caught selling drugs and vapes to younger boys and another who “bashed” fellow students were allowed to stay.

“They’ve let this other student stay after selling drugs and vapes and they didn’t let our son,” the father said.

“But the selling of drugs and the bashing weren’t in the media. There were no victims in that, the victim in this was a piece of clothing that had been bought from an op shop while the boys were on Year 12 retreat in Victor Harbor.”

The student’s mum, who was so distressed by the expulsion that she took four days’ leave from her work, said the “devastating” action had the potential to “destroy my son’s adult life”.

“I can’t eat, my sleep is bad. My son’s future is now at risk. They’ve completely destroyed his opportunities and let us down hugely,” said the mum, who had expected that her son would be allowed to return to school after a short suspension.

“He really wanted to finish school and graduate with his friends, he really wanted to finish Year 12 for all the rites of passage that they do. It’s been really hard for him.

“It’s had a massive toll on our whole family.”

She said the family had been inundated with messages from other “heartbroken” school parents outraged over the “unfair and unreasonable consequences” handed out for their son’s “poor choice of behaviour”.

Their son’s club football coach had also written to the school asking for the decision to be reconsidered.

The student – who started at Blackfriars in Year 4 – is now working his casual supermarket job and considering his path ahead. To graduate, he would need to repeat Year 12 at another school next year.

“As the weeks tick by and he’s getting further and further behind, he’s getting more and more detached,” she said.

“If some miracle was to happen and he was able to finish, I’d be expecting the required added support to catch him up and finish the assessments.”

In a final insult, the parents received their final statement for $1300 from the school just two days after their son’s enrolment was cancelled.

“We’ve spent over $100,000 going to this school and they do this,” the father said.

During his eight years at the school, the student had been given suspended for egging a home with his friends outside of school hours and in casual clothes. He was also given detention for throwing items.

The Blackfriars incident came in the wake of a misogynistic and racist “fines list” scandal at Pembroke School, the state’s most expensive private school. The parents believe that exacerbated the situation for their son.

In a statement, Blackfriars principal David Ruggiero said the school “stands by its decision to cancel the enrolments of two students involved in an incident following our Intercol competition”.

“Blackfriars will continue to take appropriate action in managing incidents of student behaviour that do not reflect the values of the school,” he said.

“Due to privacy issues, and out of respect for the families involved, we will not be commenting on action taken in relation to other incidents.”