Parents at St Paul’s continue to protest the school’s decision to dismiss principal Dr Paul Browning

A Brisbane school have revealed the reason why they dismissed their principal earlier this week. But angry parents ‘aren’t buying the message’.

The Anglican Schools Commission (ASC) has hit back at claims that a Brisbane principal was dismissed on the basis of a “toxic clash” with the Anglican Church.
Earlier this week, Courier Mailexclusively reported that Principal Dr Paul Browning from St Paul’s School in Bald Hills was dismissed after an alleged “toxic clash” with the church, likely as a result of Dr Browning’s commitment to compensating former students of the school who were sexually abused during the 1980s and 1990s.
Former students were to be refunded tuition fees following a 2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which was initially backed by the Anglican Church.
The Church later decided in 2018 that the school was to pay the tuition fees instead.

Former St Paul’s Headmaster Dr Paul Browning Picture: AAP/John Gass

However, in a letter to the school community, the Chair of the Anglican Schools Commission, Bishop Jeremy Greaves, has denied claims that the handling of compensation for sexual abuse survivors was part of the decision to dismiss Dr Browning.
“This issue has not been part of the contract discussions. To suggest that it has played a part is disingenuous and a distraction,” the letter read.
It continued, adding that it was a “difficult” decision about “recognition of the fact that the relationship between employer and employee had broken, making Dr Browning’s employment untenable”.
“For some time there had been a drift in alignment between the leadership of the school and the ASC. Disagreement around policy and procedures along with other more fundamental differences in purpose and vision for the school, contributed to this,” the letter read.

A letter was sent out to the St Paul’s community yesterday.

A letter was sent out to the St Paul’s community yesterday.

Bishop Greaves declined to comment at the time of publication.
Prior to this letter, a petition was set up to reinstate the former principal as support continued to roll in for Dr Browning.
Speaking to news.com.au, the creator of the petition, Jodi Belling, said that the community “aren’t buying the message that’s been put forth as a reason”.
Belling described Dr Browning as a “high performing headmaster” that put St Paul’s “on a global level for the innovative learning tools that he has adapted into the school”.
“And you want to say you have a conflict with the vision and the purpose that he has put forward for the school?” she asked, adding that many parents send their children to St Paul’s because of Dr Browning’s strategic direction and insight.
“So we aren’t buying the message that’s been put forth as a reason,” she told news.com.au. “And if that is the reason then there is a wider issue at stake, and that is that the ASC is deeply out of touch with the school community and what the school community wants.
“A lot of us are thinking there’s wider issues at stake here,” she continued, adding that the community was “blindsided” by the decision on Wednesday, when Dr Browning reached out to colleagues, parents and students in a statement.
“I am incredibly sad for the members of the school community,” he said.

“They have been a remarkable group of people who have helped steer the school to what it is today.

“I particularly wish to acknowledge those past students who were victims of sexual abuse while they attended the school either in the 1980s or 1990s who have since had their confidence and trust in the school restored.
“I have been humbled to walk with many of those wounded and traumatised men and their families.”
Belling continued, emphasising that there hasn’t been transparency with the community during the decision to dismiss Dr Browning.
“You know, they’re not being transparent and considering how disingenuous they have been in regards to communication to the school community and not being transparent, we’re not buying anything that they have to say at this stage.”
She added that many people from the school community have a vote of no confidence in the ASC.
“We don’t believe that they have our best intentions. We don’t believe that they have our children’s best intentions here. You know, we don’t believe that they actually have the foresight and the capability to continue leading the direction of this school.”
Yesterday, many St Paul’s students attended school wearing their uniforms inside-out in what Belling described as a “demonstrative display of ‘reverse the decision’”.
Some staff members also joined in, wearing “Team Browning” T-shirts that read “I’m not OK! Bring back Dr Browning” in a reference to R U OK? day.

Belling also mentioned that the community had been planning a peaceful protest for this morning, where parents will line the footpath outside the school with “Bring Back Browning” signs in solidarity.

A number of students and parents protested at St Paul's School on Friday morning. Picture: Supplied

The protest came after students attended school wearing their uniforms inside-out in a “demonstrative display” on Thursday. Picture: Supplied

In terms of what sets Dr Browning, the 2018 School Principal of the Year (non-government), Belling said that he has integrity, accountability, and models what he teaches.
Recalling the interview process for her daughter at St Paul’s, she said that she was able to see how committed he was to teaching children to “step outside of the school gates and be able to operate in the world that they’re walking into”, something she believes is significantly lacking in many schools today..
“He builds innovative learning - ways that kids actually look at problems and tackle them differently, and build empathy towards issues out in the world, so that when they step outside, they’re actually ready to be out in the real world.”
She added that people should look at the sheer number of parents and students mobilising over the decision to dismiss Dr Browning, saying that when this many people come together, “there’s something special there”.
“Even for myself, like I’ve said to you, I’ve never done this before, I wouldn’t have actually even called myself an activist, but it’s because of him,” she said.
“It’s because of what he instils in that school. And that is why I send my daughter to that school to be under that tutelage to be under that governance.”
The petition, which has amassed almost 3,000 signatures so far, can be found at Change.org.

Originally published as Parents at St Paul’s continue to protest the school’s decision to dismiss principal Dr Paul Browning