Emmaus College, Jimboomba rocked by Snapchat rating list scandal

A Catholic school has been rocked by a Snapchat scandal with female students photographed by their male peers who then ranked them on an online ratings list.

Emmaus College at Jimboomba has been embroiled in an online student ratings scandal. Picture: Facebook

A South East Queensland Catholic school has been rocked by a Snapchat scandal involving male students taking photos of their female peers without their consent and creating a ratings list on social media.

A number of Emmaus College’s Year 12 students posted photos of female students to a private Snapchat group where they were rated and ranked based on appearance.

Parents of students at the Jimboomba college were sent a letter by principal Jane Egan on Monday.

“It has been reported that several students have taken photographs of others – both during class time and breaks – without their consent,” the letter read.

The male students rated their female classmates in a private group on Snapchat.

“These images were taken while students were in uniform and on college grounds and were subsequently shared within a private Snapchat group.

“This behaviour is of significant concern and falls well short of the expectations we hold for all Emmaus students.

“As a college community, we are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for every member. The actions of the students involved represent a serious breach of both college expectations and the privacy and dignity of their peers.”

The Emmaus College students behind the online rating list will be “closely monitored”.

Ms Egan assured parents that the college had responded “promptly and appropriately” and that Year 12 students would be “closely monitored” over the coming weeks.

“Members of the leadership team are working directly with those impacted, as well as with the students responsible for this behaviour,” the letter read.

“Consequences are being applied in accordance with our student behaviour for learning plan and relevant college policies.

“In addition to addressing the immediate concerns, we are taking proactive measures to reinforce the importance of consent, digital responsibility, and respectful relationships.

“Year 12 students will be closely monitored over the coming weeks, and we are currently reviewing our pastoral care and digital citizenship programs to ensure they remain relevant and effective in meeting the needs of our students.”

In a statement to The Courier-Mail, the College said it acted immediately once it was made aware of claims Year 12 students had breached the College’s mobile phone policy.

It said some of the claims about the incident circulating on social media were incorrect and had since been deleted.

“The College met with students and dealt with the matter according to our policies,” the statement read.

“This matter was shared by an anonymous user on a community Facebook page.

“Unfortunately, the post contained information that was incorrect.

“The post was removed from the Facebook page.”