Principal calls on staff to ‘pray for the school’ as Hillcrest Christian College faces ‘testing’ week

The embattled principal of a strife-torn private college on the Gold Coast has called on staff to ‘pray for the school’ as it faces a ‘testing’ week, including scrutiny from a private schools watchdog.

THE embattled principal of a strife-torn private college on the Gold Coast has called on staff to ‘pray for the school’ as it faces a ‘testing’ week, including scrutiny from a private schools watchdog.

Hillcrest Christian College principal Jeff Davis issued the plea at a staff meeting this morning amid continuing unrest at the school and within the Reedy Creek Baptist Church which owns it.

The college has been rocked by months of turmoil, including bullying complaints against Mr Davis, which he denies, the suspension and departure of senior staff and controversy over hundreds of thousands of dollars in college loans to a private company set up to commercialise a reading program.

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An angry church faction last week called on the board to call an extraordinary meeting sl members who control the school could thrash out concerns.

Hillcrest Christian College principal Jeff Davis.

They include board claims that an ‘independent’ investigation had cleared Mr Davis of any wrongdoing despite admissions that none of the complainants, including staff, had been interviewed.

The Independent Education Union, which represents Hillcrest staff, wrote to members last week expressing ‘grave concerns’ about the review and calling for an urgent ‘thorough and wide-ranging investigation’.

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Mr Davis and the board have previously denied reports that the State Government’s Non-State Schools Accreditation Board was investigating complaints from staff and parents.

But in an address to staff today, Mr Davis confirmed the college was being ‘looked at’.

“We’ve got a big week coming up, a lot of things happening,” he told staff.

“We are very much under notice as we’re being looked at by the NSSAB, our church community (and) our broader Gold Coast community and it’s very important that this week we are above reproach in everything we do.

“This is going to be a week of testing … be aware that there’ll be a lot of interest, there’ll be a lot of questions.”

Mr Davis said the college was being subjected to ‘lies and innuendo’ but it was not persecution as some were suggesting.

“Persecution was the church in Ethiopia last week where 112 people were murdered,” he said.

“Persecution is where the 100 million people who are in India who are Christians live in fear every day that they will be killed. This is not persecution … what we’re dealing with is a difference in opinion.

“God is very clear what we need to do at that time. I ask you and implore you … get together and pray for the school.”

The Courier-Mail understands Education Minister Grace Grace has also been made aware of concerns about Hillcrest but her office declined to comment.

The Independent Education Union spokesman said it had written to the NSSAB on behalf of members outlining its concerns about the Hillcrest investigation but had yet to receive a response.

The Hillcrest board has rejected the demands from reedy Creek Baptist Church company members for an extraordinary general meeting, saying there is no basis for it under corporate law or the school constitution.

Instead, the board has urged members to attend an ‘information meeting’ this Sunday with the board and Mr Davis.