Sacked MLC principal Rosa Storelli vows to clear name

SACKED MLC principal Rosa Storelli says she owes it to her pupils to fight her shock dismissal, vowing to explore "every legal option" to clear her name.

Rosa Storelli

SACKED MLC principal Rosa Storelli says she owes it to her pupils to fight her shock dismissal, vowing to explore "every legal option" to clear her name.

"I've spent 20 years telling and teaching my students to stand up for themselves," a tearful Ms Storelli said yesterday.

"When you think things are wrong, or you've been hard done by, you stand up. We say to our kids 'Speak up, speak up'. Well, I have to speak up."

Ms Storelli said she was "devastated" by her sacking as Methodist Ladies' College principal on Monday night.

Five months ago, in school newsletter The Star, board chairman Louise Adler had announced "with great pleasure" another five-year term for Ms Storelli.

"I am sure the entire college community share the view that we are privileged to have Rosa's remarkable ability to lead and inspire all our staff and students," Ms Adler wrote then.

Those sentiments have soured sensationally in the months since. The parties have been at loggerheads for the past six weeks.

Both agree Ms Storelli was inadvertently overpaid during her 15-year tenure as MLC principal.

But it's the amount, rumoured estimates of which range from $100,000 to $700,000 - and how it should be calculated - that is at the centre of this dispute.

Ms Storelli, who took over as headmaster in 1997 when her son Ben was just 12 weeks old, says she initiated the audit process by Deloitte but was promptly locked out of the investigation.

"All I know is I love my school ... (and) our school stands for strong values, honesty, integrity and ethics," she said from her inner-city home.

"I don't believe any of that was displayed in the school's behaviour towards me."

Ms Adler said "the former principal is obviously very distressed and her version of events is not accurate".

Parents and students enjoying their term break rallied around their deposed principal yesterday.

Many stopped in to visit the school, where they were greeted by security guards.

Ms Storelli said she had received "thousands" of messages of support from around the world.

MLC Parents' Association president Jen Dakis said she was satisfied the board had "made every genuine effort to resolve the current situation".

"(But) on a personal note, I feel devastated about Rosa's departure," Ms Dakis said.

"Rosa was a key reason many of us enrolled our girls at MLC."

MLC "old girl" Di Whitelaw, whose two daughters also graduated from the Kew school, said she was "horrified" by the news.

"She's been an amazing leader," Ms Whitelaw said.