Toowoomba Grammar School students target of sexting scandal

Students at an elite Queensland Grammar school have been targeted in a sexting scandal, with video emerging of sexually explicit messages. WATCH THE VIDEO

Students at a prestigious South East Queensland boys school have been the target of a sexting scandal which depicted them sending “unacceptable and inappropriate” material.

Fake images of three Toowoomba Grammar School students who appeared to send sext messages online had been shared on a fake TikTok account.

The video posed as the school and included screenshots of Snapchat conversations with students and another in school uniform.

Images of two students that were shared on the account contained sexually explicit captions.

A screenshot from the sexting TikTok video. Picture: Supplied

The account has since been deleted. Picture: Supplied

The account has since been deleted.

Headmaster Dr John Kinniburgh said the school was concerned by “inappropriate” TikTok posts from fake accounts which were “purporting” to be linked to Grammar students.

Dr Kinniburgh said the school had reviewed samples of the post but said the involvement of the students in the creation of these posts could not be substantiated.

However, Dr Kinniburgh said the school was aware of other fake social media accounts involving students and confirmed action had previously been taken.

“These posts are totally unacceptable and are not aligned with the school’s teachings or values,” Dr Kinniburgh said in a statement.

“We share in the community’s disappointment in relation to any inappropriate social media posts and that individuals would seek to harm the wellbeing and reputation of members of the school community by linking them to such content.

Toowoomba Grammar School headmaster Dr John Kinniburgh said the material shared on the fake accounts was “’unacceptable’.

“We educate our students through our pastoral care program, and in partnership with parents, to raise awareness of the issues young people are facing today, including respectful relationships, and the appropriate use of social media and cyber safety.”

Queensland University of Technology masculinity expert Professor Michael Flood said posts like those shared stemmed from a broader cultural issue of women being seen as sexual objects.

Prof Flood stressed that the toxic masculinity traits were certainly not universal.

“There is a broader culture that some boys and young men are only seeing women as sexual objects,” Prof Flood said.

“That can lead to non-consensual images or items produced without someone’s knowledge.”

Prof Flood said a young person’s routine exposure and access to pornography was one of the biggest influencers in toxic masculinity.

He said part of the education had to include the promotion of values, and the harm that could be caused.

“They need to learn fundamental respects around the rights to control of images of a body,” he said.

“But also alerting boys to the harm, in that what it can do to them.

“(What they share online) can become someone else‘s material for peer status, for laughs, and they’re socialised away from empathy and respect.”