A STUDENT at McClelland College has been disciplined after a misogynistic list was allegedly found on their computer.
The list has been referred to the police for investigation. McClelland College acting principal Laura Spence said that the school will look into how it was created. “We have already taken disciplinary action and will consider any further steps when the full facts of this incident have been established,” she said. “The safety and wellbeing of our students is an absolute top priority for us, and we are supporting the students impacted by this behaviour. I am very grateful to the students who immediately brought the matter to my attention.”
Victoria Police has confirmed that it has been notified of the list, and will work with the school to investigate. “Police are aware of reports of an offensive list involving students from a secondary school in Frankston. Police have engaged with the school to assess the information, but at this stage no criminal offending has been detected,” a Victoria Police statement read. “There have been no formal complaints to police.”
The list reportedly ranked female students. The Department of Education does not believe the list was distributed outside of the individual student’s computer. A Department of Education statement read that “misogynistic and disrespectful behaviour is entirely unacceptable in any Victorian school – and the school has rightly taken swift action.”
“More than 1,950 Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools are signed up the respectful relationships initiative – supporting them to embed respect and gender equality across their entire school community and stamp out these vile attitudes to women. We all have a responsibility to teach students respect – and we’ll continue to invest in programs that promote gender equality to embed those attitudes.”