Anglican school will not follow Anglican policy
Jorge Branco, Journalist
Victims of sexual abuse at the hands of a notorious paedophile allowed to abuse students at one of Queensland's most prestigious schools throughout the 1980s will not have their school fees repaid.
Brisbane Grammar School announced on Friday afternoon it would not follow the lead of the Anglican Church in refunding fees.
The Anglican Diocese of Brisbane announced its proactive fee refund policy in the wake of child sex abuse hearing royal commission hearings in November, which laid out the crimes of systematic child abuser Kevin Lynch in horrific detail.
Across two weeks, the commission heard parents and students at Brisbane Grammar School and St Paul's School complained to senior staff about Lynch's molestations but were ignored or called liars.
The men in charge at the time either denied the claims or failed to remember them when questioned on the stand.
But they are all Christians, right? Huh? Surely they wouldn't lie knowing where liars come from and where they go to.
The Board of Trustees at Grammar declined to comment when the Anglican policy was announced in December but on Friday afternoon announced it would not be following suit.
"Brisbane Grammar School will continue with its approach to redress and compensation since 2000, which includes a personal apology from the current leadership of the school, agreed compensation payments and counselling," the statement read.
"The school can never do enough to mend the hurt caused by the actions of Kevin Lynch, but will continue its endeavours to bring some measure of healing to those abused by him."
Lynch sexually abused dozens of boys at Grammar in the '80s before moving to the Anglican-run St Paul's School in 1989, where he continued to take advantage of the students he was meant to be helping.
Lynch killed himself in January 1997, the day after he was charged with abusing a St Paul's student. But his crimes didn't come to light until 2000 when one of his former victims, Nigel Parodi, shot at police officers.
Witnesses told the royal commission how he was allowed to operate virtually unchecked across both schools for almost two decades.
Grammar said it would continue to adopt its three-pronged approach to redress: a personal apology from school leadership, counselling and compensation payments.
More than 70 students had received compensation before the commission, with the number rising to 76 by February this year, the school said.
Reports in The Australian earlier this week indicated most students received just $7000 after legal fees but the school said the real average figure was $75,000.
"Most of the payments were made in late 2002 and 2003," the statement read.
"Of that total payment, some $61,000 represented agreed compensation, with the balance being the School's contribution to claimants' legal costs."
The royal commission recommends an average payment of $65,000 and a maximum of $200,000 to survivors.
Talks with other victims of the paedophile they called "Skippy" are ongoing.
Jorge Branco, Journalist
 |
| Brisbane Grammar School is at the centre of the child abuse inquiry. Photo: Brisbane Grammar School |
Brisbane Grammar School announced on Friday afternoon it would not follow the lead of the Anglican Church in refunding fees.
The Anglican Diocese of Brisbane announced its proactive fee refund policy in the wake of child sex abuse hearing royal commission hearings in November, which laid out the crimes of systematic child abuser Kevin Lynch in horrific detail.
 |
| Brisbane Anglican archbishop Philip Aspinall promised to refund school fees. Photo: Robert Shakespeare |
The men in charge at the time either denied the claims or failed to remember them when questioned on the stand.
But they are all Christians, right? Huh? Surely they wouldn't lie knowing where liars come from and where they go to.
The Board of Trustees at Grammar declined to comment when the Anglican policy was announced in December but on Friday afternoon announced it would not be following suit.
"Brisbane Grammar School will continue with its approach to redress and compensation since 2000, which includes a personal apology from the current leadership of the school, agreed compensation payments and counselling," the statement read.
"The school can never do enough to mend the hurt caused by the actions of Kevin Lynch, but will continue its endeavours to bring some measure of healing to those abused by him."
Lynch sexually abused dozens of boys at Grammar in the '80s before moving to the Anglican-run St Paul's School in 1989, where he continued to take advantage of the students he was meant to be helping.
Lynch killed himself in January 1997, the day after he was charged with abusing a St Paul's student. But his crimes didn't come to light until 2000 when one of his former victims, Nigel Parodi, shot at police officers.
Witnesses told the royal commission how he was allowed to operate virtually unchecked across both schools for almost two decades.
Grammar said it would continue to adopt its three-pronged approach to redress: a personal apology from school leadership, counselling and compensation payments.
More than 70 students had received compensation before the commission, with the number rising to 76 by February this year, the school said.
Reports in The Australian earlier this week indicated most students received just $7000 after legal fees but the school said the real average figure was $75,000.
"Most of the payments were made in late 2002 and 2003," the statement read.
"Of that total payment, some $61,000 represented agreed compensation, with the balance being the School's contribution to claimants' legal costs."
The royal commission recommends an average payment of $65,000 and a maximum of $200,000 to survivors.
Talks with other victims of the paedophile they called "Skippy" are ongoing.
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