Ex-principal of juvenile prison school steps into head role at Punchbowl Boys High School

THE former principal of a school in a maximum security juvenile prison, Robert Patruno, has been appointed head of Punchbowl Boys High School after principal Chris Griffiths was stood down last week.

Robert Patruno, who replaced principal Chris Griffiths after he was stood down last week from Punchbowl Boys High School.

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THE former principal of a school in a maximum security juvenile prison, Robert Patruno, has been appointed head of Punchbowl Boys High School after principal Chris Griffiths was stood down last week.

It comes as an online petition is calling for an inquiry into the Department of Education’s decision to remove Mr Griffiths and his deputy Joumana Dennaoui.

Former Punchbowl Boys’ principal Chris Griffiths in a picture from his Twitter account.

It is alleged that Mr Griffiths had been alienating non-Muslim teachers and female teachers at the school.

A Department of Education spokesman said an investigation into the school revealed “a high level of staff disunity and disharmony, plus increased disengagement of the school from its local community”.

Mr Griffths and Ms Dennaoui are still employees of the department but will not return to the school.

Mr Patruno stepped into the role of principal at Punchbowl Boys last Friday. Ms Suada Bilali was hired as deputy.

Robert Patruno, right, was principal of Dorchester School inside Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre.

Mr Patruno was principal of Dorchester School inside Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre from 2014.

A petition on Change.org, started by Ahmed El-Hassan, said: “By placing an ex principal of a juvenile justice centre only exasperates the situation.”

“There needs to be an inquiry into the NSW Department of Education’s decision-making process and a public statement made to explain the unfair dismissal,” Mr El-Hassan wrote.

State Lakemba MP Jihad Dib on his last day as principal at Punchbowl Boys High School.

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Lakemba state Labor MP Jihad Dib was the principal at Punchbowl Boys High from 2007 to 2014 and said he hoped the issue was resolved quickly.

“If, as it appears, this is a case of exclusion in one of our public schools — then that is wrong,” he said.

“Our state’s schools are there for everyone — regardless of their gender, colour or religion.”