Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School denies same-sex discrimination after girlfriend ban

A GIRLS school denies being homophobic in banning a student taking her girlfriend to a dance.

AN EXCLUSIVE girls school has denied being homophobic after banning a female student bringing her girlfriend to a school dance.

Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School student Hannah Williams, 16, was banned from bringing her 15-year-old girlfriend Savannah Supski to the school’s formal.

Hannah told Radio 3AW in Melbourne today that the school was discriminating against same-sex couples, and that she was told to bring a boy instead.

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“It was a lot of emotions. At first I was angry that it was in a situation that I thought was pointless. And then I kept trying to beat it and I couldn’t do anything,” Hannah said.

“That’s when I started to get upset, when I realised that no matter what I did they weren’t going to listen.

But principal Heather Schnagl rejects the claim, saying the decision was based on the age difference.

"The school is not discriminatory against same sex couples," she said.

"We are very very supportive, but the issue here is that it was a year 11 event and it was inappropriate to enable year 10s to attend."

“It’s not a discrimination based on sexual orientation. It was trying to keep it a year 11 event.

“I’m really disappointed that it has been taken the wrong way and that girls feel hurt by it, because I never want to hurt a student.

"She was asked not to bring a Year 10 partner," she told ABC Radio.

"She was told that if she wished to bring a guest she would need to bring a male guest or come by herself, as more than half the year level did.

"We didn't want to make a distinction between someone who said they were in a partnership and someone who was just a friend," Dr Schnagl she said.

"The issue is not about same-sex discrimination. The issue is about creating a Year 11 event at which Year 10 students were not welcome."

But Hannah claimed there were boys from younger year levels that were allowed to come to the event.

A review of the function for next year is underway and input would be sought from the Students Representative Council, Dr Schnagl said.

Dr Schnagl also said the case brought before the Equal Opportunities Commission had been dismissed.

Both Hannah and Savannah have now moved to different schools.