Order restored, Trinity Grammar headmaster resigns

Trinity Grammar parents hugged outgoing headmaster Michael Davies yesterday and expressed their sadness at his resignation.

Michael Davies with parents and students outside the Kew campus of Trinity Grammar in Melbourne yesterday. Picture: Aaron Francis

Trinity Grammar parents hugged headmaster Michael Davies yesterday as he announced his resignation from the elite Melbourne school following months of turmoil sparked by the sacking of ­deputy head Rohan Brown for cutting a boy’s hair.

Dr Davies, who announced his resignation from the end of term two at a staff meeting yesterday, met parents and students outside the Kew campus at the end of the school day.

Junior school parent Melinda said Dr Davies did what was best for the school and hoped he would be remembered for the good he had done, not “just the stuff” at the end of his term.

Dr Davies had been under pressure following the departure of about half the school council and subsequent reinstatement of Mr Brown, a well-loved teacher who had worked at the school for 30 years.

Mr Brown was fired in March for cutting a student’s hair, but an independent review of his dismissal found the school council lacked the authority to fire him.

Students staged protests at Mr Brown’s dismissal and the school’s old boys association called for radical change of the school’s priorities and culture, all of which garnered significant media attention.

Melinda said the school had “poorly managed” the incident and Dr Davies’ resignation was a consequence of it. “It was hard to see how he was going to survive it,” she said. “I hope the school can move forward.”

Another mother, who didn’t wish to be identified, said Dr ­Davies had led the school well. “It shouldn’t have come to this,” she said.

Trinity Grammar headmaster Dr Michael Davies wishes students and parents well outside the school after he announced his resignation. Picture: Aaron Francis

In a statement released by the school, Dr Davies said he had ­enjoyed his time at Trinity Grammar and wished the community all the best. “I am now content that our hard work in recent weeks has helped the school return to a position where students and staff are enjoying the normal rhythm of school life,” he said.

At one point during the ­student-parent campaign to return Mr Brown, electronic billboards were seen in the streets of Kew calling for Dr Davies to step down. Dr Davies had been in conflict with the Trinity Old Grammarians Association over his school strategy.

The old boys had said Dr ­Davies was too focused on academic results, rather than the school’s traditionally liberal values. The group could not comment yesterday due to a recent legal agreement with the school council. Trinity Grammar chairman Robert Utter said the school was sorry to hear of Dr Davies’s departure. Trinity’s interim school council will start the search for a new headmaster when it takes ­office on June 1.