Top Melbourne headmaster says he needs more women in senior roles at boys school
Melbourne Grammar School old boy Philip Grutzner, who has returned to the prestigious school as its 15th headmaster, has used his Mother’s Day message to call out a gap in leadership.
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The new head of the private school which educates the sons of Melbourne’s movers and shakers has used his Mother’s Day message to say more women need to be in positions of power.
Philip Grutzner, an old boy at Melbourne Grammar School who returned this year as headmaster, said great progress had been made but there weren’t enough women in the current federal cabinet, on boards and even in senior ranks at his own exclusive boys’ only school.
In a message shared with families and staff yesterday, Mr Grutzner said it was pleasing that women were no longer viewed as “just the homemakers and caterers”.
“However, society still has a long way to go. Sadly, the proportion of women in senior positions, board rooms, and in politics, including our current federal cabinet, is not as high as it should be,” he said.
“In addition to this, many working women are not only spending long hours in the workplace, but are expected to manage the entire busy family schedule at home as well.
“We, too, have work to do at Melbourne Grammar School, with an under representation of women in senior leadership positions.”
Mr Grutzner most recently was principal for a decade at co-ed Carey Baptist Grammar, in Kew, where he was seen as progressive on a range of issues including gender diversity.
His comments come six months after a female staffer at the elite Melbourne Grammar School called out what she saw as “toxic masculinity” by some boys at the school.
The then Witherby house leader’s address to an end of year function was recorded and shared widely among people connected to the school. Some in the audience are understood to have taken offence while others applauded her assessment. Her commentary came as former AFL player and school footy coach Brad Green was counselled over a tweet that was seen to downplay the actions of boys involved in the now infamous St Kevin’s College tram chant.
Then headmaster Roy Kelley said the school took very “seriously its responsibility to instil positive values such as inclusiveness, tolerance and a respect for others in all our students”.
He said it was testament to the school’s culture that the then house leader Ms Leah Kelly felt able to canvass her concerns.
In his address yesterday, Mr Grutzner went on to congratulate the current school leadership team navigating the challenges of COVID-19.
“However, the optics for our school don’t look good and a greater diversity amongst these teams can only add to the richness of discussions and quality of decision making,” Mr Grutzner went on to acknowledge the contributions of mothers at the school who fulfilled many roles from board members to mediators, sports coaches and problem solvers.
“I hope each Melbourne Grammar School family leave aside the crass commercialisation of Mother’s Day and show thanks for the past, present and future contributions of mothers in a non-commercial way,” he said.
Melbourne Grammar School counts three prime ministers, Victorian premiers, Barry Humphries and leaders of business, the defence forces and the judiciary among its alumni. One of Eddie McGuire’s sons is a current vice-captain.
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