Knox Grammar: Former headmaster Ian Paterson admits he failed to protect students

AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Nicole Chettle

A former headmaster of prestigious Sydney boys’ school Knox Grammar has told a royal commission he failed to protect the welfare of abuse survivors.

But Dr Ian Paterson told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that for thousands of other students, the school had an “outstanding system of pastoral care”.

“This system had a widespread culture of, for boys, if you are troubled by anything, please speak to your prefect, your tutor, your house master, your year master, the school counsellor, hospital nurse, chaplain, teacher,” Dr Paterson said.

“We were an open school. That this system failed to reveal the victims of abuse is extraordinary.”

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