Brighton Grammar under fire for ‘Invasion Day’ comments

Brighton Grammar has written to parents to defend a staff member who told students Australia Day was “not to be celebrated”.

An elite private school at the centre of a furore after a senior staff member told students Australia Day was “Invasion Day” and “not to be celebrated” has issued a notice to all parents and alumni defending the comments.

In a letter sent to parents of about 1400 students, headmaster Ross Featherston said the controversial remarks made by acting deputy headmaster of Melbourne’s Brighton Grammar, Meg Adem, at a school assembly were “misinterpreted”.

In an email seen by the Herald Sun and sent on Tuesday morning after publication of the story, he said Ms Adem “made a brief reference that while Australia Day is a national day and there are ‘many different perspectives and emotional associations regarding this day’.

“I would like to clarify this was a very small part of a much wider address to the Secondary School students and the context of her comment has been misinterpreted,” Mr Featherston wrote.

“Meg did not say ‘Australia Day shouldn’t be celebrated’, instead she provided the viewpoint that we recognise that many people do not celebrate the day”.

However when contacted by the Herald Sun the school did not dispute the comments heard by students.
There were also some students who were confused by the comments made at the assembly.

Parents of students at Brighton Grammar School have complained about the comments. Picture: Penny Stephens

Mr Featherston said he encouraged “both parents and students to contact us directly to address such concerns at any time”.

The controversial comments about the January 26 public holiday last Thursday, in an address to hundreds of students.

Ms Adem’s words drew “lots of gasps” from the pupils, who were enjoying their first day back at school and raised the ire of parents.

“It was really awkward when we were told not to celebrate Australia Day,” a teenage student at the school who asked not to be named said.

“I’ve celebrated it for many years of my life, ever since I was born and it really hurt my feelings,” he said.

“The entire school was surprised, there were lots of gasps and she said ‘Australia Day was not a day to be celebrated’.”

On Tuesday the school’s alumni and community manager Kate Birrell also issued an email to Old Boys and reiterated the comments by the headmaster that were sent to parents at the school.

She said, “as always we encourage our Old Boys to contact us directly to address such concerns at any time”.

Parents have also discussed their disgust at the school sharing political ideology with students instead of being apolitical.

Some parents have since made complaints to the school.

One parent said, “it was a foolish to start the school year by saying something that is political and divisive … our boys are there to be educated not indoctrinated.”

The prestigious private school is one of Victoria’s most expensive, charging close to $36,000 per annum for certain year levels of tuition.

Brighton Grammar was founded in 1882 and is an Anglican boys’ school.

Australia Day drew much criticism this year and “Invasion Day” protests were held across the country.

Melbourne’s rally was organised by the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, the same group which organised the controversial BlackLives Matter rally in June.

Among many January 26 events was a protest “dawn service” held at King’s Domain in Melbourne, controversially attended by Lord Mayor Sally Capp.

Just last month Brighton Grammar took a tough stance on the appearance of students, insisting they return this term with clean-cut hairdos.

The school updated its student “appearance guidelines”, and included images of a clean-cut Hollywood heart-throb Zac Efron and a boy with a mullet to demonstrate what was an “acceptable haircut” and an unacceptable haircut”.

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Originally published as Brighton Grammar under fire for ‘Invasion Day’ comments