Newington College old boys pull million-dollar bequests over co-ed plan

Wealthy donors have cancelled million-dollar bequests to the elite private boys’ school, also threatening legal action, in protest against its decision to admit girls.

Parents and former students of Newington College are challenging the school’s decision to enrol girls. Pictured: headmaster Michael Parker with students. Picture: newington.nsw.edu.au

Wealthy donors have cancelled million-dollar bequests to an elite private boys’ school in protest against its decision to admit girls.

Parents and “old boys’’ have also threatened legal action against Newington College, a 160-year-old Sydney GPS school that has announced a decade-long transition into a co­educational school.

One well-heeled Old Newingtonian, retired commercial property lawyer Greg Mitchell, said he had revoked his will that left 30 per cent of his estate to the school.

He also quit his position as chairman of the Newington Founders Society, which manages the endowment fund.

He said he was one of many Old Boys who had withdrawn their bequests in protest against the school’s co-ed conversion.

“I believe this decision is ideologically driven by the minority and is now being imposed on the whole of the Newington community with potentially dis­astrous consequences,’’ he said.

“It flies against 160 years of history, tradition and reputation as one of the finest educators of boys in the country.

“It is with a heavy heart that I will be withdrawing my bequest to the college.

“I’m also aware of many others who already have and others who intend to do so (and) I believe the financial consequences for the Founders Society program will be substantial.’’

Mr Mitchell said the “overriding feeling is of betrayal’’.

Newington College Council chairman Tony McDonald. Picture: newington.nsw.edu.au

“The school will no longer be an entity that we have known and cherished and want to support financially,’’ he said.

“It was specifically set up as a boys’ school. I had such a great education in a single-sex environment and I don’t believe I would have done as well academically, in sport or in leadership roles if girls were in the mix.

“I know it sounds old fuddy-duddy, but I would have been distracted if girls were in the classroom.’’

Another prominent Old Newingtonian, the owner of Moser Bland & Co accounting firm Mark Bland, said he had cancelled his $100,000 bequest to the college.

Mr Bland, a former president of the Old Boys’ Union and member of the Foundation Advisory Board, said he felt his old school had “gone woke’’.

“The girls have perfectly good schools of their own, which are not rushing out to admit boys.

“I was the first person to withdraw my bequest – it was $100,000 – and I suspect this decision will cost Newington millions and millions of dollars.’’

He said he would transfer his bequest to PLC (Presbyterian Ladies’ College), where his mother and sisters had studied.

The donor revolt comes as a group of Old Boys and parents fired off a legal letter from Brown Wright Stein lawyers to the chair of Newington College, Tony McDonald.

Newington College declined to comment on Thursday but more than 1800 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding the school remain “a place for boys to grow into men, surrounded by their brothers’’.