St Paul’s axes principal Paul Browning: Thousands of angry parents mobilise in protest

Thousands of angry parents have been joined by students as they mobilise in a multi-pronged campaign to have a principal reinstated at an elite Brisbane school after he was sensationally axed by the Anglican Church.

Furious parents and students are waging a multi-pronged campaign to have principal Paul Browning reinstated at St Paul’s School after he was sensationally axed by the Anglican Church.

Within hours of the north Brisbane school community learning of the shock sacking, revealed exclusively in The Courier-Mail on Wednesday afternoon, parents rallied, signing a petition in their thousands and accusing the powerful Anglican Schools Commission, chaired by Bishop Jeremy Greaves, of a lack of transparency and consultation.

Angry students joined the parents and staff in protest.

Many children turned up to the Bald Hills school on Thursday wearing their uniforms inside out – sending a clear message that the reversal of uniforms should trigger the reversal of the Church’s decision.

One family told The Courier-Mail they instructed their child to keep their mobile phone handy “in case all hell breaks loose”.

They said students had been circulating protest plans on social media and intended to “keep up the pressure”.

Some St Paul’s staff members donned T-shirts that read “I’m not OK! Bring back Dr Browning” on the front (a reference to R U OK? day) and “Team Browning” on the back.

More than 100 posters were put up around the school – and students in the secondary grades also stuck them to their backs.

T-shirts have been hastily printed in support of axed principal Paul Browning.

The A4 posters read “support Dr Browning”, with a photo of the award-winning headmaster, a link to an online petition that has garnered more than 2470 signatures, and the email addresses of Bishop Jeremy Greaves and the Anglican Schools Commission.

Before classes began on Thursday, children gathered near the administration black – and Dr Browning’s office – and chanted for his reinstatement.

One parent told The Courier-Mail that students had been circulating protest plans on social media and intended to “keep up the pressure”.

Bishop Jeremy Greaves and the Anglican Schools Commission have been contacted for comment. Dr Browning has declined to speak further on the matter at this time.

One upset mother travelled into the city on Thursday morning and waited outside the diocese headquarters in Ann Street, hoping to catch Bishop Greaves.

She did, and through tears, told him of the strength of parental and student dismay at the ousting of Dr Browning. She said she requested a meeting, and Bishop Greaves asked her to contact his office and try to set one up.

Another parent has appealed for people to write letters of intent to withdraw their children from the school in 2024 if Dr Browning is not immediately reinstated.

The entire St Paul’s School council – which had unanimously recommended Dr Browning’s contract be renewed for another five years to 2028 – was also removed by the ASC.

One angry parent said the Church had “blindsided” parents and forgotten that schools exist for kids.

Parents have thrown their support behind principal Paul Browning. Pic Mark Cranitch.

The Courier-Mail has seen many emails fired off to Bishop Greaves and ASC executive director Sherril Butterworth since news of the axing broke.

In one email, titled “enraged”, a father called on them to “resign in disgrace” over the “diabolical decision”.

“The fact that we, the school community, have had absolutely no correspondence from ASC is demonstrative of a lack of respect for all people involved,” he said.

He described the decision as “an appalling combination of lunacy and disrespect”.

“It would appear that this decision has been made principally because Dr Browning has shown a high level of decency in seeking to ensure that the victims of sexual assault, perpetrated with the knowledge and imprimatur of the Anglican Church, are appropriately compensated.

“His position is right and just and one that would be supported by any religious organisation acting in accordance with their own teachings.”

Bishop Jeremy Greaves.

The petition, to Bishop Greaves, Ms Butterworth and Most Reverend Geoffrey Smith, Primate of Anglican Church Australia, says parents are “united in our conviction that the decision to remove Dr Browning was made without transparency or adequate explanation”.

“We cannot accept the status quo and demand answers regarding the circumstances that led to this abrupt decision.

“We firmly believe that the best course of action is to reinstate Dr Browning. We call upon the school administration to engage in an open and constructive dialogue with the parent and student body, allowing us to express our concerns and work together toward a resolution that preserves the legacy of excellence Dr Browning has established.”

An open letter on behalf of parents to the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, Anglican Schools Commission and Archbishop-elect Jeremy Greaves – also copying in Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Federal Education Minister Jason Clare – said families chose to send their children to St Paul’s specifically because of Dr Browning’s “excellent leadership”.

“Removing Dr Browning, who is clearly well-loved and highly respected by students and the school community, does not demonstrate that the ASC has the wellbeing of our children at the centre of its decision-making,” said author of Thursday’s letter, Cori Sandys-Brooke.

“How can our kids feel that they ‘belong, are safe and able to thrive’ if their beloved headmaster is dismissed with no logical explanation from the ASC and/or Diocese, with very little notice, and no pastoral care or support to accompany that monumental change?

“Our children are not pawns in your politics.”

General photograph of St Paul's Anglican School, Bald Hills, Sunday, June 27, 2021 – Picture: Richard Walker

As reported on Wednesday, insiders told The Courier-Mail that Dr Browning’s commitment to refunding the tuition fees of former students sexually abused at St Paul’s during the 1980s and 1990s – long before his 2008 appointment – was a trigger for the hostilities.

They described the breakdown between Dr Browning and the Church as a “spectacular implosion” resulting from a “toxic clash” that has been months in the making.

On Wednesday at 4pm, Dr Browning issued a heartfelt statement to the school community.

Dr Browning told colleagues, parents and students of his “great disappointment” that the Church had instructed him to leave – despite an “incredibly affirming” review of his performance last year by an education research firm approved by the ASC and a united recommendation by the school council that he remain in the job until 2028.

“I am incredibly sad for the members of the school community,” he said.

“They have been a remarkable group of people who have helped steer the school to what it is today.

“I particularly wish to acknowledge those past students who were victims of sexual abuse while they attended the school either in the 1980s or 1990s who have since had their confidence and trust in the school restored.

“I have been humbled to walk with many of those wounded and traumatised men and their families.”

Dr Browning was named School Principal of the Year (non-government) in the 2018 Australian Education Awards, predominantly for rebuilding a culture of trust following the damning findings of the 2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse over the school’s past inaction against pedophile counsellor Kevin Lynch and pedophile music teacher Gregory Robert Knight.

Unlike Brisbane Grammar School, also lambasted by the Royal Commission, St Paul’s chose to refund the tuition fees of victims, with the backing of the Anglican Church.

However, in late 2018 the Church decided the fees refund was to be paid directly by the school.

Allan Hird, a member of the St Paul’s council which was removed by Bishop Greaves on August 18 this year, said he was disgusted by the termination of Dr Browning.

“Paul has pushed hard to look after victims but the Anglican Schools Commission has pushed back,” Mr Hird told The Courier-Mail.

“Paul is a fantastic principal – the Church is shooting itself in the foot by getting rid of him.”

Mr Hird said following the Church mandating St Paul’s personally repay fees, the council approved Dr Browning monetising a creative teaching tool the school had developed.

The plan was to market the Realms of Thinking tool to other schools and use the funds raised to pay for sexual abuse claims so current and future parents wouldn’t be slugged higher fees to cover the compensation.

Paul Browning at St Paul’s School with some students. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

Mr Hird said the Church initially supported the commercialisation of Realms of Thinking but the ASC shut it down.

He said the ASC had ignored the council’s May 2022 recommendation that Dr Browning’s contract be renewed from 2024.

The Courier-Mail understands Dr Browning lodged a formal complaint about his alleged treatment by the ASC to Bishop Greaves earlier this year, after being told in March that his tenure would end.

Dr Browning said late on Wednesday there was nothing further he wished to add about the matter.

Bishop Greaves and the Anglican Schools Commission have been contacted for comment.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson said the Anglican Church Southern Queensland had decided that after 15 years as headmaster, Dr Browning’s contract would not be extended.

“As with any organisation, the needs of the school change over time and leadership should be renewed to ensure the necessary perspective and energy for the future,” they said.

“The St Paul’s school council does not make the decision about who is appointed principal. Its recommendation is a part of a much bigger process for the selection of principals for our schools.”

The Church did not respond to questions around why it decided that St Paul’s should pay personally for the refund of tuition fees to sexual abuse victims or the outcome of Dr Browning’s complaint against the ASC.

In 2019, St Paul’s was named School of the Year in the Australian Education Awards.