Photos show bouncer at Hillcrest Christian College ahead of meeting

A photograph has emerged of a burly bouncer on hand at the Gold Coast’s embattled Hillcrest Christian College to prevent people attending a heated annual meeting at the school.

PHOTOS have emerged of a burly bouncer present at an embattled Gold Coast Christian college to prevent people attending a heated annual meeting at the school.

The pictures show the large, muscle-bound man standing guard at the college entrance, along with the wife and son of principal Jeff Davis.

A number of people, including church company members and at least one board member, were denied entry to the meeting, which was held in late May as turmoil began to engulf the Baptist Church-run school.

A muscly man standing guard at the entrance of Hillcrest Christian College, along with the wife and son (far right) of the principal Jeff Davis.

The-then board chairman, Len Oldfield, was dumped at the meeting.

Mr Davis told a staff meeting the next day that lawyers had advised him to close the meeting because it was clear it was going to be “hijacked”.

He said his wife Lynne and son Josh, who he described as “a big boy”, had “stood at the door to make sure only company members came through” but did not make reference to the other large man.

“Those two (his wife and son) have been subjected to abuse from people who call themselves Christians, when we were acting on the solicitors’ behalf,” Mr Davis told the staff meeting, audio of which was obtained by The Courier-Mail.

“This is not about me protecting my job, this is about me protecting process.”

One staff member challenged Mr Davis, telling him the security actions were “aggressive”.

“Your son was standing at the door like a military bodyguard refusing people to come in,” the staffer told him.

“We were acting on the advice (of solicitors). This was not my meeting, this was the company meeting.

“I’m being very specific, I’m not being aggressive.”

A school source said there was widespread anger about the “totally over the top” security at the meeting.

Principal Jeff Davis

Hillcrest Christian College

Hillcrest has been rocked by allegations of staff bullying, the standing down of two senior staff members — one of whom was sacked last week — and concerns over hundreds of thousands of dollars in school loans to a private company set up to commercialise a reading program.

The Non State-Schools Accreditation Board has been investigating multiple complaints against the college and the Independent Education Union has called for an independent investigation into allegations of bullying against Mr Davis.

Angry parents have launched a petition calling for Mr Davis to be stood down and an independent ‘forensic’ investigator appointed.

Almost 150 people including parents, ex-staff and students have signed the petition.

It was launched after the Hillcrest board publicly reaffirmed its support for the principal and said there were ‘no known grounds’ to terminate his employment.

Mr Davis, who is known as the ‘executive head of college, earns more than $400,000 a year.

Originally published as Photos show bouncer at Hillcrest Christian College ahead of meeting