Xavier College’s Past Revealed Following Online Bullying Scandal
news.com.au
DRUGS, theft, assault, property damage, a trafficking offence and even an incident involving weapons and explosives. It sounds like the worst school on the worst corner of the worst suburb, and yet you pay about $25,000 a year to go there. Xavier College is a prestigious Catholic boys school in Kew in Melbourne with an esteemed alumni — Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, AFL Brownlow medallist Jobe Watson, world champion marathon runner Robert de Castella and Formula One world championship winner Alan Jones. Even Barry Humphries’ character Sir Les Patterson claims he was a student. The school says it aims to produce “reflective, compassionate and articulate men” who will provide “outstanding service and leadership in our world”. But it is often plagued with scandal, and online bullying is the latest transgression to rock the senior boys campus. Its students this week came under fire for taunting public school students on Facebook ahead of the VCE English exam, calling them “povos”. One said he felt glad he went to a private school instead of a “poverty-stricken s--thole in Pakenham”. But Pakenham year 10 student Liam Bottriel was quick to put the elitist bullies of Xavier College in their place. “It says more about how they’ve been brought up, than anything. It’s really sad,” he said.
Recent data from the Crime Statistics Agency found Xavier College had the highest level of misconduct out of Melbourne’s most prestigious schools. Between 2012 and 2014 there were 23 theft offences, 20 burglary/break and enter crimes, eight incidents of drug use and possession misdemeanours and five breaches of orders. There were also four incidences of assault and related offences recorded, as well as four crimes involving property damage and two offences of dangerous and negligent acts endangering people. There was one crime of deception, one drug dealing and trafficking offence, and one weapons and explosives offence. Scandals at Xavier College, however, date back to as early as the 1960s. A submission made to Victoria’s parliamentary inquiry in Child Sexual Abuse in March 2013 claimed there were incidences within the school in the 60s and 70s. The inquiry is investigating the college’s alleged past of institutionalised brutalisation and sexual abuse of children in its care. It has heard one of the victims was repeatedly threatened with a strap to the face. It is alleged nine Xavier College students were sexually abused, with another six in the process of having their claims heard.
It is alleged nine Xavier College students were sexually abused, with another six in the process of having their claims heard.
In May, principal Dr Chris Hayes told the ABC that the school was a “very different place” back then. Victim Janusz Skarbek also told the ABC his time at Xavier College in the 70s “scarred him for the rest of his life”. Xavier College also made headlines in 2010 when students caused havoc on muck-up day, throwing flares while walking through a popular shopping district. This followed a prior incident in 2009 where nine students were suspended on muck-up day for egg-related incidents. There was also another muck-up day rampage in 2008. The Herald Sun reported hundreds of Year 12 students were suspended after a pupil was sent to hospital with fractures in his leg after being crushed in a game of “death ball”. It is also alleged that 20 students covered their heads with balaclavas and took to the streets of Melbourne, terrorising and intimidating civilians. They caused about $5000 worth of damage to a woman’s car. A number of other misdemeanours at the school have been compiled by The Age, including an incident in 2007 where a student was put in the “wheelie bin of terror”. The student was tipped over after being taunted and pushed. Another incident recorded was in 2005, when a student at Xavier College was sent a letter containing a bullet from one of his classmates. The school did not comment when approached by news.com.au but its website states that it challenges its students to “pursue excellence in all things within and beyond the classroom”. “Education for life in the true sense — intellectual, spiritual, moral and social — means ensuring that each individual achieves his or her highest potential,” the website reads. The school pointed news.com.au to its website, which states that issues involving Church-related abuse are dealt with via the National Committee for Professional Standards according to the Towards Healing procedures. The National Committee for Professional Standards is a joint committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia. “The Truth, Justice and Healing Council is coordinating the Catholic Church’s response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, with a commitment to cooperation, openness, full disclosure and justice for victims and survivors,” the website reads.
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