Balwyn High School’s formal ban widened to include year 11 students

Balwyn High School’s formal fiasco has widened to include a ban on some year 11 students. Now angry parents are demanding the Department of Education step in.

The Balwyn High School formal fiasco has widened to include year 11 students who have also been excluded from their July formal for lateness to class and uniform violations.

Angry parents are demanding the Department of Education step in to resolve the impasse between the banned students and the school.

Sixteen students received generic emails this week in the middle of their exam period telling them they “have not met the criteria required to receive an invitation” for the July 28 event.

The Herald Sun revealed last week that 20 year 12s had also been banned from their formal on attendance, uniform, attitude and behaviour grounds.

The school insists the 16 year 11 students excluded out of 418 students in the year level are “repeat offenders who have had multiple warnings, been counselled and chosen to continue this behaviour”.

But two parents who spoke to the Herald Sun said their sons had no warning they could be barred from the formal and no opportunity to make amends.

Balwyn High is sticking to its decision to ban struggling graduates from their formal despite widespread backlash.

One parent said her son had a number of minor uniform offences, such as having his top button undone, and had been devastated to receive the email.

“He received detentions so he’s already had a punishment for this,” she said.

“He feels like he’s being punished twice for the same thing.

“The school’s wellbeing policy says they are inclusive and prioritise wellbeing but it is quite the opposite,” she said.

The policy says the goal is to empower students by creating multiple opportunities for them to take responsibility and be involved in decision-making.

But the parent said her son was given no involvement in this decision.

The other parent said her son was being discriminated against for not being a high academic performer at the school.

“My son is not academic and struggles with school. His detentions have been for lateness to class and minor uniform breaches, such as having his shirt untucked,” she said.

“I think it is absolutely disgusting that the school is segregating the academic from the strugglers,” she said.

Balwyn High School has faced backlashed from students and parents for their decision.

“They teach inclusiveness but how is being excluded from the formal inclusive?”

“I find this, in the day we live in, total discrimination. If it was any other type of discrimination, it would be jumped on,” she said.

Balwyn High School principal Deborah Harman said the year 11 formal “will be going ahead on 28 July to honour the success and achievements of our students, and we look forward to celebrating with them”.

“There is unfortunately a very small number of our year 11 cohort who have lost the privilege to attend due to repeated breaches of school policies and expectations,” she said.

“Our students and school community have been repeatedly made aware of the expectations and policies set out by the school — and the majority of our students reflect these values and demonstrate exemplary behaviour.”