Punchbowl Boys High School overhauls classrooms and image
IT WAS the Sydney school famous for its extremism and anarchy, but a radical transformation is underway at Punchbowl Boys High School.
NSW
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IT WAS the Sydney school famous for its extremism and anarchy, but a radical transformation is under way at Punchbowl Boys High School.
One year since departmental concerns about its “closed door” teaching practices led to the sudden removal of its principal Chris Griffiths and deputy Joumana Dennaoui, an unprecedented campaign has been taking place to overhaul its classrooms, and its image.
Students have been given an insight into what it means to fight for Australia with talks by a former SAS officer and a cadet training day at the Holsworthy Barracks on Remembrance Day.
On White Ribbon Day, students took an oath to be an advocate for women’s rights, while a “wellbeing room” has been set up as part of a $145,000 project to improve learning.
Muslim prayer sessions are still being held, as are other religious teachings, but an equal focus is on what it means to be Australian, with principal Robert Patruno sticking to his commitment to promise to teach students traditional Australian values of respect and tolerance.
The controversial “deradicalisation” program Stronger Communities Working Together has been rolled out, while there is a renewed relationship with the police. A careers information session led to one Year 12 student applying to join the force.
Enrolments are up eight per cent, with families who had threatened to pull their children out of the school amid claims at the time that it was being “run like a mosque”, now keeping their children enrolled.
Mr Patruno declined to participate in the article, with separate court cases by Mr Griffiths and Ms Dennaoui under way in the NSW Supreme Court and the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
There has been no official explanation as to why they were removed and a department report has yet to be tabled in parliament.
Opposition education spokesman and local MP Jihad Dib said the transformation of the school was testament to Mr Patruno’s inclusive but no-nonsense approach. Mr Dib was principal at the school for seven years before the arrival of Mr Griffiths.
He said families who had spoken to him about pulling out their children — amid fears the school was “radicalising” its students — had not only stayed on board, but enrolments had gone up in the past year.
“The school has opened its doors to police, the community and the kids are participating in programs from cadet training to police career sessions,” Mr Dib said.
"I’ve always said, you can be a good Muslim, and you can be a proud Australian — you don’t have to choose between the two.
“I think some of the kids felt conflicted, and we know that feeling disengaged is one of biggest threats to kids becoming radicalised.”
MORE: Almost 20 Sydney schools ‘at risk’ of radicalisation
MORE: Punchbowl Boy’s principal vows to teach Aussie values of respect
MORE: Former Punchbowl High principal’s plan to deradicalise Muslim kids
According to the department, the school increased its external programs by “825 per cent” last year, ranging from football clinics with the Western Sydney Wanderers to rugby league star visits and a police safety workshop.
Mr Griffiths and Ms Dennaoui are seeking administrative review in the Supreme Court of the department’s decision to remove them.
Both argue the decision itself should be declared void and without procedural fairness, with each having unblemished service records of over 20 years.
While not back in the classroom, both Mr Griffiths and Ms Dennaoui have returned to work with the department in administrative roles.
There is no suggestion Mr Griffiths nor Ms Dennaoui were involved in the promotion of extremism.
Education Minister Rob Stokes described Mr Patruno as an “outstanding” educational leader.
Two bad months
FOR two months last year after the removal of principal Chris Griffiths, an Islam convert, and deputy Joumana Dennauoi in March last year, Punchbowl Boys High School was in turmoil:
— NSW Education Department said the decision to remove the leadership team followed an “extensive appraisal” of the school’s policies, procedures and management, which found “a high level of staff disunity and disharmony, plus increased disengagement of the school from its local community.”
- Department secretary Mark Scott tells Radio 2GB that the school, which has a high proportion of Muslim students, had been reluctant to implement the School Community Working Together program.
— Former Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre education unit head Robert Patruno appointed as principal as an internal departmental investigation is launched into the removal
— Mr Patruno is forced to go to police after receiving a threat from a man
— Police increase their presence around the school after concerns members of the community and students were planning protests at Mr Patruno’s appointment
— Mr Griffiths and Ms Dennaoui launch legal action in the NSW Supreme Court, citing procedural unfairness.
-A separate action is initiated by the NSW Teachers Federation on the behalf of the teachers in the Industrial Relations Commission.
— An internal departmental investigation is launched into the removal of the pair.
— Mr Patruno reaches out to police and community organisations, with the school increasing its external programs by “825 per cent” while also undertaking the School Community Working Together program
— As of this month, enrolments are up eight per cent
— Two court cases involving Mr Griffiths and Ms Dennaoui are ongoing