Parents of barred Waverley College students vow to fight, say hazing claims were blown out of proportion

The parents of five eastern suburbs boys have vowed to fight their expulsions from an exclusive private school, claiming the allegations of hazing against their sons were grossly exaggerated.

The parents of five eastern suburbs boys have vowed to fight their expulsions from an exclusive private school, claiming the allegations of hazing against their sons were grossly exaggerated.

The parents concede their boys seriously misbehaved but believe they were unfairly treated by the principal and leadership of Waverley College.

They claim the school rushed to expel the Year 9 students without due process and that the boys were labelled anti-Semitic thugs with little or no evidence. The parents are considering taking the matter to court to have their sons reinstated.

“We admit the boys were involved in some serious misbehaviour, and all of us agreed they should have been disciplined, and were when they were suspended,” said one parent.

“But what happened after that was appalling in not only expelling the boys but in the way the so-called investigation and follow up inquiry was conducted.”

Waverley College principal Graham Leddie. Picture: John Appleyard

Parents say the decision to expel their children was hasty and unjustified.

The parents of five boys chose to speak out after The Telegraph revealed last week their sons had been expelled amid claims they set upon a group of Year 7 students, hitting them with belts and forcing some to kneel and kiss their shoes.
A sixth boy was also expelled but it’s understood his parents want no further involvement with the school.

Waverley College principal Graham Leddie confirmed the Year 7 boys did provoke the Year 9 boys by throwing water and fruit at them, but said the response from the older boys was grossly disproportionate.

The mistreatment of Year 7 boys took place between October 18 and October 20, prompting a complaint from one of their parents. The school began an investigation and by 12.30pm on October 21 all six boys were suspended.
The boys were allowed to return to school briefly, when they were interviewed by the principal, and were expelled permanently by October 27.

The parents of the barred students said Mr Leddie rushed to expel the boys and it appeared the school had reached a conclusion before the students were even interviewed.

“On the Tuesday the boys went back to school thinking their suspension was over, then they were separated, put in rooms alone for hours and questioned by the headmaster on their own,” one parent said.

The school says it carried out a review and it found the expulsions were appropriate.

Another said: “They were told there was CCTV footage and to own up to what they did. In many ways he bullied them into confessing some things they didn‘t do.”

All the parents spoken to by The Telegraph agreed their children engaged in improper behaviour to varying degrees, but said many of the allegations were embellished.

“It was blown way out of proportion,” one parent said.

Another parent said: “They were provoked. Even the school admitted the Year 7 students involved taunted them, although they downplayed what they did to them ... It’s like a green light to (the Year 7 students).”

They said none of the boys who were expelled had a history of being in trouble and this was an isolated event.

“Do you ruin the futures of 14 year olds in an isolated event? Why don‘t you try and manage the incident?” one parent said.

The boys admitted they did drag students into a classroom where they were hit but denied claims they drew swastikas on the younger boys.

“We have Jewish heritage and my son is proud of that and would not be part of it. I went to that school and so did my dad and I am proud of it, until now,” said one father.

The Year 7 boys claimed the older boys drew penises on them. The older boys claim they were moustaches.

In a joint complaint by all the parents to the school’s operating body Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), a litany of claims were made about the process.

The school has refuted all the claims by the parents of the older boys and EREA stand by the decisions of the Principal. The school said it would not comment further.

The parents of the Year 9 students have retained Sydney lawyer Paul Kenny and sought advice from firms who have fought expulsions before.

Mr Kenny said: “I have asked, in writing, for any notes that were taken by the deputy and the principal but have not had any reply to date. The parents believe their sons futures and reputation have been tarnished on the say so of teenage boys without any substantive proof at all.”

There have been at least two cases, in Brisbane and Sydney, where private school expulsions have ended up in court.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said due to Waverley being an independent school she would not be intervening in the matter, but encouraged schools and the community more broadly to take a stand against bullying behaviour.

“Given that they’re an independent school who has the autonomy to make their own decision, it’s not something I’ve intervened in nor would I,” she said.

“I have spoken to the head of independent schools in New South Wales about the issues there, last week.

“What’s really important here is that we take a really strong stance against behavior of that kind. Ultimately it’s a matter for the independent schools as to what decisions they make.”