What you said: ‘Rich kids are worse’ or ‘all kids do stupid things’

Whether private school kids should be held to a higher standard after they destroyed a Brisbane home has sparked a heated debate online. WHAT YOU SAID

An out-of-control house party organised by elite private school students left doors smashed, plumbing wrecked and expensive appliances in the pool at an Airbnb property in East Brisbane. Photo: Sunrise/Channel 7.

A Madonna King opinion piece has sparked a heated debate online in the wake of a wild party held by a Brisbane Boys’ College student at an East Brisbane Airbnb on April 5.

In the column, King suggests elite private school students should know better than to destroy a home without thinking twice.

Here’s what you said on the column.

IT’S A PARENTING PROBLEM

Deb

Parents have far more influence than schools, maybe place the blame a bit closer to home.

Margie

Down to the parents I’m afraid. Schools can only teach so much and parents are responsible for teaching their kids responsibility. Teachers can talk about it all they like but until parents do the right thing the kids are doomed.

Paul

Respect starts at home it’s as simple as that!

Pam

Stop blaming the private schools. Teaching respect for other people’s property begins at home.

Benjamin Holt had his East Brisbane home destroyed. Picture: Mark Stewart

QUESTIONS DESERVE TO BE ASKED

Austin

There’s nothing elite about these children. Start referring to them as entitled until they prove themselves to be otherwise.

Jackie

A lot of these rich kids are worse – they are entitled and think that laws don't apply to them. Their parents don’t care.

Greg

It’s almost like they don’t know any better than state school kids … like maybe the privilege of going to an “elite” school doesn’t make you a better person … who’d have thought it.

Issy

We call these schools elite, not because of the quality of students but because of the wealth required to attend, and the privilege of opportunities and favouritism that wealth provides. Of course, many families can only afford to send their kids to these elite schools for the senior years.

Richard

Private schools are not elite, just expensive and egotistical.

An out-of-control house party organised by elite private school students left doors smashed, plumbing wrecked and expensive appliances in the pool at an Airbnb property in East Brisbane. Picture: Supplied

MANNERS COST NOTHING

Gertrude

And of course no one from a state school has ever done anything wrong.

Jasmine

Elite or not, they are teenagers. To pull much of this off is as much about street smarts as it is about school address. It should not matter which school or what type of school any of the students should have known better.

Jenny

Fabulous read Madonna King. You are so correct, good character must be taught and comes primarily from home but also to a degree from schools where young people spend so much of their time.

Cam

What a load of rubbish. Kids will be kids and do stupid things at times. Most of the 500 involved would have been unaware of the extent of the damage caused inside the property. Punish the ones identified. Who cares what school they went to. Stop calling them elite.

Originally published as What you said: ‘Rich kids are worse’ or ‘all kids do stupid things’