Teacher speaks out over bullying claims involving Christian College Geelong school

A teacher at the top Geelong school who has been accused of bullying staff has spoken out, saying she’s endured “years of bullying and harassment” at work.

Christian College Geelong has been at the centre of multiple allegations of bullying and harassment. Picture: Supplied

The teacher at the centre of Christian College Geelong bullying claims has spoken out, saying she has endured “six years of ubiquitous bullying and harassment” at her workplace.

Pam McKeeman, head of the school’s Bellarine campus, said she had been on “forced leave” from her position for eight months while “allegations of serious misconduct were investigated against me”.

She said she was advised on Thursday that “an investigation was under way after media interest”.

Ms McKeeman’s comments come as the embattled school has moved to reassure parents it takes concerns about workplace misconduct seriously, amid multiple allegations of bullying and harassment.

Head of Christian College Geelong‘s Bellarine campus Pam McKeeman says she’s been on ‘forced leave’ from her position for eight months.

The Herald Sun (Geelong Advertiser) revealed that Ms McKeeman’s husband Glen, the school’s principal, is also on leave.

Other parents have contacted the Herald Sun (Geelong Advertiser) in wake of the article, with one stating that the “fear in the Bellarine Campus community at the moment is paralysing”.

“We are all very upset with how (Ms McKeeman) has been treated and that she is not at school and is now being made a scapegoat,” the parent said.

Another said there was “no parents’ committee at the school and it seems to be only a small select few who are involved in major decisions”.

The parent said there were concerns about the concentration of power and the use of school funds for non-school matters.

“Many parents like myself worry about these rumours and the lack of building maintenance and educational support offered to the children who are behind, said to be due ‘lack of funding’,” the parent said.

“My child loves the school and they have wonderful teachers. But I feel like we should know if these rumours have any truth to them and should be investigated.”

Christian College Geelong is governed by principal Glen McKeeman and chief executive Daryl Riddle.

Rumours have been circulating for months about the status of Ms McKeeman’s “disappearance” and the nature of the investigation into claims both made by her and made against her.

One source said the school had “been completely unwilling to participate in an open and honest process”.

They said there was a “culture of fear” and “such poor communication and correspondence that there might as well be none at all”.

Unlike most other private schools, Christian College Geelong is governed by both a chief executive, Daryl Riddle, and Mr McKeeman as principal.

A source said the pair had long been “butting heads over control” of the successful school.

Originally published as Teacher speaks out over bullying claims involving Christian College Geelong school