Sex acts and racial slurs: Vile online chats at The King’s School, North Parramatta

Disturbing content in a King’s School online group conversation has emerged, a day after headmaster Tony George issued a letter to parents addressing an incident in which boys decapitated a goanna on a cadet camp.

The King's School at North Parramatta.

A group of students at a top Sydney private school bragged about disliking Jewish people and made racist slurs in a “religion studies” online chat.

The disturbing content of a King’s School group conversation emerged on Wednesday, a day after headmaster Tony George issued a letter to parents addressing a recent incident where several Year 12 boys decapitated a goanna with a pitchfork while on cadet camp.

In the WhatsApp group, called Studies of Religion Group Chat, one student wrote: “I’m cool with muzzlims (sic) and pretty much everyone as long as they aren’t J*wish (sic) or F*ench (sic).”

Another student responded: “(student’s name) hates the jews (sic).”

The conversation, which took place in September last year, also included a lewd post where one student joked about a lewd sexual act involving multiple people.

A conversation between students at The King’s School where they talked about ‘hating Jews’.

The conversation took place in a Religious Studies online chat.

In a separate conversation in the thread, a disturbing ­picture of slavery and terrorism was shared by one student.

Mr George wrote to parents on Monday addressing the outrage in the media and community over the goanna killing, saying the outrage is “understandable and warranted”.

The chat included a discussion about ‘buying a dark-skinned student at a mosque’.

The King's School is a private school in North Parramatta.

The incident happened during the school’s annual camp which was attended by more than 800 boys.

“Not only are native animals protected by law, but animal cruelty is a heinous, inhumane act in all its forms. The school immediately reported the death of the goanna to the police, who continue to investigate the incident,” Mr George wrote.

He went on to say it was important to allow students to take risks, but acknowledged that in doing so, things can “go wrong … such as online chat rooms” which then “whip up a frenzy of public shaming”.

“This is not to say that these things aren’t wrong – on the contrary, they are not only wrong, but they can also be criminal,” he said.

King’s School headmaster Tony George has addressed the issues.

“What I am saying is that the wrongful act does not justify the pillorying, shaming and vilification of students and their schools.”

A parent of a current student at the $35,000-a-year institution in Sydney’s west, shared the chat group with The Daily Telegraph claiming the school’s response since being made aware of the chat “was minimal”.

“(The messages) … included comments … about ‘buying’ a dark-skinned student at a mosque and posting swastika image,” the parent said.

However, a spokesman for The King’s School said immediate action was taken last year when the chat took place, as soon as the school was made aware of it.

He said: “The school ­identified an issue of unacceptable online behaviour last year. The wellbeing of children is always central to the School’s response to any issue.

“The matter was investigated and resolved to the satisfaction of the families involved at the time.”

Originally published as Sex acts and racial slurs: Vile online chats at The King’s School, North Parramatta