Prestigious Girls' School in Data Protection Scandal
A leading private girls' school in Australia faces severe criticism after confidential documents containing derogatory comments about students were leaked to pupils. Somerville House, an exclusive boarding and day school in South Brisbane charging fees up to $30,000, has been accused of failing both students and parents in the handling of the incident.
Damaging Student Descriptions Revealed
According to reports emerging on Saturday, teaching staff at the institution maintained a private spreadsheet containing highly inappropriate descriptions of Year 7 students from 2021. The document, compiled by multiple staff members, labelled children as 'quirky', 'odd', and 'disorganised', with one pupil described as having peers who 'think they have head lice'.
The spreadsheet extended beyond behavioural observations to include sensitive medical information, noting whether students were receiving psychological treatment or taking medication. Even more concerning, the document detailed parents' personality traits and marital statuses, raising serious questions about data protection standards at the prestigious institution.
School Response Draws Further Criticism
School leadership reportedly apologised to the affected students, who are now in Year 11, during a meeting last Thursday. However, parents have since claimed that during this meeting, girls were instructed to 'think of the teachers' and that administrators expressed disappointment about the document being shared rather than focusing on the distress caused to students.
The situation escalated when scheduled exams were unexpectedly postponed by one day, with the school attributing the delay to a 'temporary shutdown of school laptops'. In a Friday email to parents, Somerville House revealed it had engaged cybersecurity experts to investigate how students accessed the confidential spreadsheet.
An anonymous parent told local media that the school appeared more concerned with protecting its reputation than student welfare, stating: 'There really hasn't been any concern towards the students either. It is all very uncool and (the children) can really see it for what it is, that the school is scrambling to save their own reputation.'
Political Condemnation and Demands for Accountability
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare delivered a strong condemnation of the school's actions during a television appearance, stating: 'They've failed the students, and they've failed the parents of the kids who go to that school.' He emphasised that while schools must collect student information, they have a responsibility to do so securely and professionally - standards he believes were not met in this case.
Parents are demanding disciplinary action against staff involved, with one questioning whether the school has properly considered the impact on impressionable young students. Another parent criticised the nature of the comments as 'malicious' and 'catty' rather than professional educational assessments.
Principal Dr Sandra Hastie confirmed an investigation is underway, acknowledging that the comments 'fall short of our standards and values'. The school has offered counselling services through its Employee Assistance Program to affected students and families while continuing to investigate the circumstances of the leak.
