Lawyers’ claim more victims emerge after allegations by ex-Rockhampton Grammar School student

Allegations of more students being abused by a former teacher at a Rockhampton private school have surfaced following a Supreme Court claim by a high-profile former student who once appeared on reality TV.

Queensland's Rachel Downie, Educator and social entrepreneur. After one of her students died by suicide, Rachel Downie developed Stymie. Meaning to block or stop, Stymie enables students to anonymously report instances such as bullying, depression, self-harm or family violence. Rachel's aim is to encourage young people to speak up, and empower them to foster a culture of care in their schools and communities.

Further allegations of students being abused by a music teacher at Rockhampton Grammar School in the 1980s have surfaced following a Supreme Court claim by former student Rachel Downie.

Travis Schultz, Ms Downie’s lawyer and Managing Partner of Travis Schultz and Partners, said in a statement Wednesday that the recent media profile around her case earlier this month had resulted in a number of other potential victims and witnesses contacting his firm.

“There have been a surprising number of former students of the Rockhampton Grammar School come forward with allegations, centring on the alleged conduct of the same music teacher between 1983 and 1985,” Mr Schultz said.

“While we are unable to disclose further details at this time, these allegations are of a very serious nature and underscore the gravity of the claims.”

He said the firm had spoken with more than ten former RGS students who had provided information regarding the teacher’s actions, including allegations of sexual misconduct, but would not say how many were witnesses or victims.

Mr Schultz said his firm had credible evidence to believe the accused teacher was still alive and living in society.

In Ms Downie’s claim filed in the Supreme Court of Queensland, the 2020 Queensland Australian of the Year and Survivor participant, alleged she was subjected to exposure abuse and penetrative sexual abuse when she was 14 years old attending after-school music lessons.

Rachel Downie is suing for alleged sexual abuse at Rockhampton Grammar School

Her claim also includes the school’s alleged “egregious” mishandling of the situation at the time she alerted them to the abuse.

He said Ms Downie was an influential child protection advocate who had chosen to break her silence about her alleged abuse publicly for the first time.

He said she had encouraged victims to choose not to suffer in silence and commended those who have come forward for sharing their own experiences or what they may have witnessed.

“It’s never too late to speak out,” Ms Downie said.

“If you’ve seen something, say something.”

Stymie founder and eSafety speaker Rachel Downie.

Following the new claims, Mr Schulz urged anyone who may have witnessed or has knowledge of incidents of abuse at the school in the mid-1980s to come forward.

“We would call for any person with information about the conduct of this music teacher at the Rockhampton Grammar School in 1984 and 1985, or who may have subsequently taken music lessons with (him) around the Darling Downs area, to come forward,” Mr Schultz said.

The Rockhampton Grammar School headmaster Dr Phillip Moulds said on Wednesday, February 19 that the school strongly condemns abuse in any form and takes any allegation of abuse, past or present, extremely seriously.

“The school community has been informed of the historic matter and the school considers that it is inappropriate to comment in detail on that matter as it is presently before the Court,” he said.

“While we cannot change the past, we are committed to supporting those who are impacted by unacceptable historic actions. The care, safety and wellbeing of our students should always be the absolute priority.”

He said the school joined the National Redress Scheme in 2020 to enable any incidents of abuse to come to light and to help survivors of abuse be acknowledged, supported and seek redress.

Queensland's 2020 Australian of the Year finalist Rachel Downie poses for a portrait at a reception at Government House in Canberra, Friday, January 24, 2020. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Previously, in a letter to parents and former students earlier this month following Ms Downie’s allegations, Dr Phillip Moulds said the matter did not relate to any current student or staff members.

“We appreciate that this process is deeply distressing for the former student, and we support their decision to come forward,” he said in the letter.

He also assured them that the Rockhampton Grammar School had evolved significantly since the mid-1980s when the abuse allegedly occurred.

“Everyone at the school understands that it is our shared responsibility to protect children at the school and keep them safe,” Dr Moulds wrote.

“We are proud to have become the first school in Queensland to receive a Safeguarding Children accreditation through the Australian Childhood Foundation.”

He said that accreditation independently validated the school’s “absolute commitment to child safety”.

“All our staff work continuously to ensure a child safe culture prevails,” Dr Moulds wrote.

He invited any former student to contact him confidentially if they wished to raise or discuss any issues regarding this matter.