Good Shepherd Lutheran College in Noosaville failed to report distribution of porn by students
A prestigious Queensland Christian school failed to report to police the distribution of pornography by Year 7 and 8 students almost three months after being made aware of it. SEE THE TIMELINE OF INACTION
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A prestigious Queensland Christian school failed to report to police the distribution of pornography by Year 7 and 8 students almost three months after being made aware of it.
Good Shepherd Lutheran College in Noosaville was notified by an alarmed parent of the “disgusting and disturbing” nude imagery – which potentially contravenes federal and state child pornography laws – on February 27.
However, mandatory reporting to police did not occur until May 16 and was done by the school’s governing body, Lutheran Education Queensland, email records show.
An exclusive investigation by the Sunday Mail can also reveal a dozen 12 and 13 year olds posted and possibly used AI to create the content – which depicts pedophilia, bestiality and other hard-core porn – on TikTok and Snapchat.
There is explicit imagery of genitalia, including a vagina with a kitchen knife inserted, a young boy appearing to have anal sex with a female, and faces swapped onto naked bodies.
Posted also are memes of racist, homophobic and misogynistic natures plus covert videos of six teachers taken by students during class in a bid to humiliate them, with one woman called a “hoe” in a TikTok vlog.
Hundreds of children, including from other schools, are believed to have watched or shared the material since it was uploaded in late 2024. Much of it is still visible, with the students involved now in Year 8.
A Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed officers from the Sunshine Coast Child Protection and Investigation Unit had begun initial investigations.
The whistle-blower parent, who has two children at the prep to Year 12 religious school, said she was appalled by the depraved content but also by the responses of the college and its governing body, Lutheran Education Queensland.
“I’m horrified by this stuff on social media, it makes you throw up in your mouth – but why has it taken so long for it to be reported to the police?
“They don’t want to go near this – it’s too big – it’s not one or two kids, it applies to so many so they would rather try to protect their reputations.”
She said Year 7 and 8 students who refused to take part in the social media accounts had been bullied, including through covert classroom videos later uploaded online with nasty captions.
Extensive email and text correspondence – seen by the Sunday Mail – reveals repeated attempts by the parent to escalate a response.
Following her initial email to the school on February 27, in which she said she had screenshots of the offensive material, the parent contacted the LEQ after not receiving a reply from the school.
In a text to the parent on February 28, a school official said the college had replied to the parent via email that morning.
In that message, the school did not mention the parent’s report about the offensive material.
On March 10, the parent emailed the school again, advising she had not received a proper response to the serious issues she’d raised and asked “whether GSLC would like copies sent to them of the reported evidence I have of the bullying and toxic behaviour by several students”.
The school responded on March 10 but did not address the question about whether the school would like copies of the reported evidence.
A week later, on March 17, the parent then sent a link to a Dropbox of imagery from the TikTok and Snapchat accounts to the school, school council and LEQ.
In a response on March 17, a school official emailed: “It will take some time for relevant staff to review the materials you have provided via the Dropbox link”.
On April 2, the parent emailed them again.
“It is very concerning no action has been taken by GSLC to help and protect their staff and students, especially the ones who have already been bullied and feature in the evidence that I formally provided you with,” she said.
She said they had “all failed to act and are knowingly continuing to let bullying of GSLC students and staff publicly circulate on social media”.
On April 4, the school official replied and said the college is “never reluctant to investigate and address complaints concerned alleged bullying”.
On May 4 and May 14, the parent resent the Dropbox link of porn and offensive teacher and student vlogs the LEQ, demanding a “full investigation”.
On May 16, a LEQ official replied: “I understand your level of concern as the material is very disturbing and some of it potentially illegal.
“Having seen this material, I am obliged to report the existence of this material to the Child Protection Investigation Unit of the QPS,” he wrote.
In a later email on May 16, the same official said: “I confirm that I have reported this matter to the Child Protection Investigation Unit of the QPS and have provided them with all the information you have supplied, including the Dropbox link.”
Under child pornography laws in the Criminal Code 1995, it is illegal to take, share, keep and distribute images of a sexual nature if the person involved is under 18, by phone or online.
It is possible for children to be charged under this offence, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
The parent told the Sunday Mail she chose Good Shepherd Lutheran College because it promised to provide a caring environment.
“We are not religious but chose this school for the values it espoused,” she said.
“It is not living up to its mission ‘to offer a Christian education in a caring environment’.
“I went to public schools myself but what’s happening in this private school is so much worse than anything I’ve seen.”
The Sunday Mail put questions to the school, school council and LEQ. Including why it took almost three months for the matter to be reported to police.
In a statement, LEQ acting executive director Nick Verreynne said: “Good Shepherd Lutheran College is guided by clear policies and pastoral care programs that promote positive behaviour and address unacceptable conduct.
“In accordance with these standards, we have become aware of material that represents a serious breach of our expectations.
“Following the matter being reported to the police by Lutheran Education Queensland, the matter is now the subject of a police investigation, and both the college and Lutheran Education Queensland are co-operating fully with authorities.
“We recognise the distress this material may cause and are taking steps to request its removal from online platforms. However, the decision and timing of its removal rest with the platform administrators.
“In keeping with our Lutheran values and commitment to care for every individual, we are offering pastoral care and support to all students, staff, and members of our community who may be affected.
“As the matter is under police investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”
The school did not reply to the Sunday Mail, but on Friday afternoon principal Anthony Dyer sent a letter to parents saying the college was “deeply concerned by the sharing of the alleged material and share the community’s abhorrence of such content, and the unauthorised manner in which it was obtained”.
“In the interests of transparency, I thought it important to share this news with you directly,” Mr Dyer wrote.
“There is also a possibility it may attract media attention, and I wanted you to hear it from me first.”
kylie.lang@news.com.au
Originally published as Good Shepherd Lutheran College in Noosaville failed to report distribution of porn by students
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