‘Needs to stop’: Newington College headmaster hits out at parents opposing coeducation

The headmaster of one of Sydney’s most expensive boys’ schools has hit out at parents over a “campaign of negativity” opposing the school’s decision to introduce girls.

The headmaster of Newington College has hit out at parents over “unacceptable behaviour”. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The head of one of Sydney’s oldest and most expensive boys’ schools has hit out at parents over a “campaign of negativity” opposing the school’s decision to introduce girls within the next two years.

Newington College, an exclusive $42,000-per-year private school in Sydney’s inner west, announced late last year it would follow in the footsteps of similarly affluent boys’ schools Cranbrook and Barker College by transitioning to coeducation from 2026, sparking outrage among parents, students and ‘old boys’ critical of the move and its timing.

In a letter to families and the wider school community – including alumni – on Monday night, Newington headmaster Michael Parker condemned the “unacceptable” behaviour of parents for making staff and other families feel “threatened” in their campaign against the decision, and the “undeniable impact” on the school’s reputation.

Newington College headmaster Michael Parker.

“Some of the behaviours, alongside a campaign of deliberate negativity, of a few individuals over recent months are in breach of our values, our culture and our agreed Parent Code of Conduct,” Mr Parker wrote.

“Individual incidents have been raised with the College, which are currently being dealt with, but there is ongoing behaviour from this group which continues to leave some parents and staff feeling threatened and very uncomfortable.”

Old boys and parents protesting the co-ed move outside Newington College in January. Picture: Richard Dobson

The Headmaster also wrote that the campaign led by a “very small group of people” is “casting a temporary shadow over what is a highly inclusive, safe and positive place”.

“This behaviour needs to stop, and we will be enforcing our Code of Conduct for offending behaviour whether in person or online,” Mr Parker said.

If set in motion, the crackdown could jeopardise the enrolments of boys whose parents are found to have gone beyond an acceptable level of “constructive, respectful debate” of the move, with the exclusive school’s contract explicitly listing “avoid(ing) confrontation with and criticism of other people in public” as a condition of enrolment.

It follows more than six months of negative press and protests against coeducation at the 160-year-old institution, including the widely reported picketing of the streets of Stanmore in January and a leadership spill among the school’s alumni club, the Old Newingtonians’ Union, which still remains unresolved.

Newington College has been contacted for comment.