Union investigating Fintona Girls’ School over ‘toxic’ culture claims

A top Melbourne school is being investigated over claims of a “toxic” culture, after complaints about a “touchy feely” teacher and public shaming of staff.

A union is investigating allegations of a “toxic” culture at Fintona Girls’ School.

The Independent Education Union is investigating allegations of a “toxic” workplace culture at a leading girls’ school after receiving complaints about toilet access, inappropriate touching and the public shaming of staff.

The union is working with senior staff at Fintona Girls’ School centring on the management style of principal Rachael Falloon and deputy principal and head of senior school Sarah Carter.

A recent fiasco involving the selection of school captains – where longstanding practice was supposedly not followed, leaving girls in tears – has brought issues to a head at the up-market Balwyn school.

Another sore point for staff is that allegations about a “touchy feely” female staff member who strokes girls’ necks and rubs their backs was allegedly not acted on by Ms Falloon.

“It makes the girls feel very uncomfortable and they went to see the principal about it, but nothing was done,” one teacher told the Herald Sun.

The union will be approaching the school board, led by Jackie Besley, to share recommendations based on the outcome of an occupational stress survey circulated to staff over coming weeks.

Long-serving teachers are reluctantly speaking out because they love the school, which consistently posts some of the highest academic results in the state.

They say there has been a high turnover of staff, with 25 per cent leaving in one year and very low morale.

One staff member said many teachers were “on the verge of collapse, many taking stress and anxiety leave”.

“Teachers are crying in front of students as leadership keep making decisions that force them to not act in the best interests of the students.”

Another said the school was the “most toxic” they had ever worked at.

“We love the students and we love what this school used to be,” one teacher said.

IEU Victorian secretary Deb James said the union “has been aware for some time of serious ongoing issues with the workplace culture, workload, and morale at Fintona. These issues are having a real impact on the health and wellbeing of staff, which is simply not acceptable in a modern workplace”.

“Members have also raised concerns with the school and the IEU on OHS issues relating to lack of staff amenities, including adequate toilet facilities for staff,” she said.

It’s understood the staffroom was moved so that the closest toilet is now up some distance from the teaching areas, leaving staff dehydrated because they aren’t drinking enough water. It comes amid a recent refurbishment of executive offices used by the leadership team.

One teacher described the school’s culture as a case of “jobs for the girls”, with staff frustrated at the unwillingness of the leadership team to respond to criticism and deal fairly with staff requests.

“A colleague went to a funeral – when there were still strict limits on numbers – and her leave was not granted and her pay was docked,” the teacher said.

“There is a huge collective grief about how magic the school was and the mediocrity it’s been dragged to with the current leadership.”

“I have personally witnessed multiple public shamings of teachers in meetings,” they said.

Ms James said the union was “continuing to work with our members to address all these concerns”.

Ms Falloon did not address the claims levelled against the school when asked by the Herald Sun, but said the school took all concerns raised by staff seriously.

“Fintona has established policies which outline how concerns and grievances can be raised by members of the school community, who these can be raised with, and how these will be dealt with,” she said.

“All concerns are treated seriously by the school, with action taken in accordance with the school’s policies and procedures.

“Fintona’s paramount considerations are always the care, safety, welfare and education of its students.

“The School complies with the Child Safe Standards, and requires staff to act professionally at all times, in all interactions with students.

“We remain committed to providing a respectful, safe and ultimately rewarding work environment for each and every member of staff.”