Mentone Girls’ Grammar confirms school acted on serious complaints made about male teacher

The head of Mentone Girls’ Grammar has confirmed that “allegations of misconduct” about a male staff member’s behaviour were received and acted on by the school.

Mentone Girls’ Grammar has admitted that serious complaints about a male staff member were received and acted on by the school.

The head of Mentone Girls’ Grammar has confirmed that serious claims about the inappropriate behaviour of a male staff member were received and acted on by the school.

The senior male teacher is alleged to have made inappropriate advances to a number of female staff members at a social night in mid 2023, shared alcohol with year 12s on the dancefloor at their formal and drank with, and kissed, a number of mothers at the school’s 125th gala event in August 2024.

Principal Natalie Charles confirmed in a statement to the Herald Sun that “allegations of misconduct regarding the behaviour of the (senior teacher) were addressed immediately and he is no longer employed at the school”.

The head of Mentone Girls’ Grammar has admitted that serious complaints about a male staff member were received and acted on by the school.

“In accordance with our Complaints Policy, all formal complaints are promptly investigated, and appropriate action is taken. The school’s preference is that genuine concerns are raised in this way,” Ms Charles said.

It is the first time the school has publicly acknowledged claims against a senior male teacher were made.

On the weekend, the Herald Sun quoted current and former staff whistleblowers who claimed the school failed to act when they raised serious allegations about the inappropriate sexual conduct of a senior male staff member.

They say the man remained in his senior post for at least 12 months after they first raised concerns with the school and was only removed when parents – rather than staff – complained after the gala night.

In a letter to the school community on Sunday, council president James Stewart said the Herald Sun aired “inaccurate claims” and called the article “deeply disappointing”.

He said “any suggestion that our School would deny, ignore or suppress allegations or inappropriate behaviour or harassment of any kind is entirely unfounded”.

He thanked parents and the school community for their “continued support” and said the council “take comfort in our motto ‘Nothing Truer than Truth’” which in Latin is Vero Nihil Verius.

Mr Stewart and Ms Charles, who has been appointed as principal of St Catherine’s School from 2025, addressed staff on Monday morning and continued to deny the allegations.

Staff members who spoke up were upset.

One staff member told the Herald Sun: “You’d think working in a girls’ school in 2024 that you could speak out about these issues. No – we were told to not talk about it, it wasn’t dealt with.”

And another said: “It is shocking that in a post #metoo era that this is how women are treated in all-girl environment.”

In her statement to the Herald Sun on Wednesday, Ms Charles said the school nonetheless “stands by our position that some false accusations have been reported”.

“The Mentone Girls’ Grammar community remains deeply concerned by the ongoing airing of recent allegations in the media. The attention brought to our school community through these reports is very unsettling, particularly during this critical time as our VCE students prepare for their final exams,” she said.