The Anglican Schools Commission is the governing body for St Paul’s and a number of other schools, including Anglican Church Grammar, St Hilda’s, and The Southport School. The Education (Non-State Schools) Accreditation Act 2001 (Queensland) and its amendments, including the Education (Non-State Schools) Education Act 2017, outline the responsibilities and requirements for governing bodies of non-state schools in Queensland.
One key responsibility is student wellbeing and safety. The governing body must prioritise school students' safety, well-being and welfare, implementing appropriate policies and procedures to address bullying, harassment, and student welfare.
This week on the 4BC Drive Program, an impact statement was read out by a current Year 12 student of St. Paul’s who spoke about the profound impact the decisions by the Anglican Schools Commission have had on them.
Listen from 13:20
https://omny.fm/shows/4bc-drive/full-show-9-october-2023
The uncertainty and disruptions caused by the decisions the Anglican Schools Commission have enacted within St. Paul’s School have left many of us feeling adrift, anxious and unsure of what the future holds for our school community. It has affected our morale and confidence at a time when we should be celebrating our accomplishments and looking forward to a promising future. The removal of Dr Browning and now the “enforced leave” of Deputy Principal Mr Nigel Grant has disrupted our school's stability and sense of community.
For many Year 12s, their entire schooling has had Dr Browning as their headmaster. The one constant, steadfast person in their schooling life through what can be an ever-changing landscape of uncertainty for adolescents. Stability is profoundly important for adolescents' mental health and well-being in school as it provides a foundation for emotional security, predictability, and a supportive environment conducive to learning and growth. The Australian Government Department of Health states that mental health conditions, such as anxiety, substantially impact an individual's ability to engage in education, leading to academic underachievement.
On the 7.30 Report, Bishop Jeremy Greaves went on record to state, “It was the increasing risk to our whole school system where we take our responsibilities pretty seriously in terms of the care for the students in our schools”.
So a current year 12 student has given notice that they are currently experiencing psychological harm as a result of the decisions the Anglican Schools Commission is making within St Paul’s, and Bishop Jeremy Greaves is on record saying they take their responsibility pretty seriously in terms of care for the students in their schools. Why, then, was this the statement from the ASC in response to the student letter as mentioned on ABC Radio on 10th October:
“We have made it abundantly clear Dr Browning will not be granted another contract or returning to the school. Since March, when Dr Browning was told his contract would not be renewed, there have been multiple opportunities for mediation and consultation, and that opportunity has long passed.”
Listen from 13:00
A statement read by Dr Browning contradicted the Anglican Schools Commission's statement regarding opportunities for mediation whereby evidence was supplied that showed all attempts by Dr Browning to initiate mediation were refused or ignored by the Anglican Schools Commission.
The Anglican Schools Commission and Bishop Jeremy Greaves have now been notified of psychological harm occurring for current Year 12 students as a direct result of their actions and are unwilling to implement policies and procedures to address student welfare in this situation. That appears to be a direct disregard for one of the key responsibilities of a governing body under the Education (Non-State Schools) Education Act 2017.
Minister for Education Grace Grace was asked by ABC Radio about her views regarding St. Paul's and stated,
“I am aware of the situation at St. Paul’s; however, non-state schools operate independently of the government, and therefore, I do not have the authority to intervene. Complaints can be directed to the independent body – Non-State Schools Accreditation Board.”
However, the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board is a statutory body that works with governing bodies of non-state schools on aspects of accreditation and funding eligibility. The non-State school's accreditation board is part of the portfolio of the Minister for Education and, therefore, falls under the jurisdiction of the Minister for Education.
Therefore, Grace Grace, you have the authority to intervene. Considering you have been advised of harm to a student within a Queensland school, you should be in action regarding caring for the students at St Paul’s.
So, to recap:
The Minister for Education has jurisdiction over the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board
The Non-State Schools Accreditation Board is responsible for ensuring governing bodies fulfil the responsibilities and requirements under the Education (Non-State Schools) Education Act 2017, of which student wellbeing and safety is a key responsibility
The Anglican Schools Commission is the governing body for St Paul’s School
A current student of St. Paul's has stated their emotional and mental well-being has been directly harmed due to the decisions the Anglican Schools Commission has made within the St. Paul’s school.
The Anglican Schools Commission refuses to address the issues that continue to cause harm to a student that they are responsible for the well-being and safety of.