St Paul's school have refunded tuition fees paid by parents of students abused by Kevin Lynch so why won't Brisbane Grammar School?

The boys attended one of the state's most prestigious schools - and their parents paid handsomely for the privilege for them to do so - to be educated and prepared for prosperous careers, not to be molested, raped, physically and psychologically abused, leaving them irreparably damaged for the rest of their lives.

There was a material breach of contract and duty of care by the school administrators and staff. The parents of Kevin Lynch's victims effectively paid Brisbane Grammar School for their sons to be sexually and psychologically abused and have their futures destroyed.

The Brisbane Child Abuse Royal Commission hearings revealed that the school's headmaster Maxwell Howell, deputy headmaster David Coote and several other teachers were repeatedly told about the abuse but did nothing to intervene or prevent if from continuing. Instead they covered it up and allowed Kevin Lynch to destroy the lives of more victims.

St Paul's School has had the decency to refund tuition fees, yet Brisbane Grammar School, that has assets that far exceed that of St Paul's, refuse to do so stating publicly:

"The board has also considered and decided against adopting the initiative of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane in relation to the refund of school fees, but will continue with the existing approach to redress and compensation, which is in line with the recommendations of the royal commission."

They refused to elaborate upon their rational for reaching this decision and refused to comment further on the matter. 

We suggest that this an utterly shameful approach to take considering that the school was aware of the abuse taking place at the time and did nothing. Hiding behind the recommendations of the Royal Commission and relying upon the fact that legal redress may not be possible due to the QLD Limitations of Actions Act, is an approach void of any moral responsibility.

We call on the Board of Trustees and in particular Howard Stack who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees to reconsider this decision and simply do the right things and refund the tuition fees paid by the parents of the victims that the school failed to protect.

If not in full, at least for each of the years they suffered their abuse.

To do anything less is simply shameful and reinforces the attitude of the Brisbane Grammar School as a whole that money and public image are far more important than morals and decency.

At the Royal Commission Howard Stack made this statement.

"I want to say on behalf of the whole Grammar School community that we're ashamed of what happened to all the victims and I want to apologise to them again in front of this royal commission,"

Well Mr. Stack. If you, and the whole Grammar School community are truely ashamed of what happened to all the victims, here is your chance to prove it by doing the right thing. Talk is cheap but actions speak volumes.

Please, let your heart and compassion for the victims guide you to make the correct decision.