Parent outrage after students cook breakfast for St Peter’s College teacher at his home

A parent of an elite Adelaide private school student has been left outraged after a “deeply troubling” incident where teenagers visited a teacher’s home to cook him breakfast.

A parent of an elite Adelaide private school student has spoken out about a “deeply troubling” incident in which a group of teenagers visited a teacher’s home to cook him breakfast.

St Peter’s College leadership launched a review of the incident and reinforced “expectations around professional boundaries” after 10 year 12 students visited head of science faculty Hiwa Jaldiani’s home one day in term 4 last year about 5.45am.

Neither Mr Jaldiani nor the school were aware of the plans before the event, which was intended to be an end-of-year celebration to thank the teacher.

The students, who had since graduated, surprised the teacher by cooking and eating breakfast with the teacher while another teen played the piano at his home.

The breakfast had been organised without Mr Jaldiani’s knowledge, but with his family’s consent, and ended about 7.30am.

The students’ parents were aware of the plans prior to the breakfast.

An outraged parent of a St Peter’s College student, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Advertiser the breakfast was “deeply troubling on several levels”.

The parent, whose child was not involved in the breakfast, felt “uneasy that this is a culture that this is acceptable”.

A parent spoke out about “deeply concerning” conduct after St Peter's College students cooked breakfast for a teacher at his home. Picture: Supplied

St Peter’s College launched a review into the incident and ‘reinforced expectations around professional boundaries’. Picture: Supplied

He said it was “certainly odd” that the interaction with the students was at the teacher’s home and “outside of school supervision”.

“There’s no way I’d be letting my child cook breakfast at a teacher’s house,” the parent said.

“I get on well with my doctor but I would find it a bit odd if he were to invite me to dinner.

“That’s the relationship between a teacher and student.”

In an email to staff following the breakfast, seen by The Advertiser, Mr Jaldiani described it as “pretty wild but in a fun way”.

“When I finally stepped out of the bedroom, boom – surprise,” he wrote.

“Around 10 year 12 students were in the kitchen, cooking up breakfast for the whole family.

“They were so polite, exactly what you’d expect from SPSC students.”

St Peter’s College headmaster Tim Browning said Mr Jaldiani informed school leadership immediately after the event and “the matter was reviewed at the time”.

“As an outcome of that review, the school decided to use the lead-up to the 2025 end-of-year celebrations to reinforce expectations around professional boundaries and appropriate engagement outside school hours and settings,” Mr Browning said.

“While the intent of the students was respectful, the school remains committed to upholding clear and consistent standards for staff and student conduct.”

Originally published as Parent outrage after students cook breakfast for St Peter’s College teacher at his home