A NSW parliamentary inquiry heard allegations from two former students of western Sydney's Redeemer Baptist School on Monday. Claims included that teenagers were made to share beds with teachers and that the principal once wandered naked through a common area.
Edward Garth, 23, a former student, described a study-stay during school holidays where he slept in the same building as principal Jonathon Cannon. Garth stated he saw Cannon walk naked from the bathroom into the living room, which was his bedroom at the time, before heading to his own room. Garth reported the incident, but said it was relayed back to Cannon, the principal's brother Noel, and his own parents, who then scolded him.
Another former student, Emma Hughes, told the inquiry that the school's culture left much for students to "untangle" as adults. She stated that on school camps, students sometimes had to share a bed with teachers in caravan parks or school-owned cabins to save space. Hughes's submission noted that nothing untoward happened to her during these stays.
Hughes also described an emphasis on surveillance, "dobbing," public humiliations, and punishment at the school. She recounted an incident where a boy and girl were made to stand on chairs in front of a year 7 class after teachers intercepted a love note, which was then read aloud by Noel Cannon to students before they were "dressed-down in front of four year groups and many teachers."
The parliamentary committee is investigating the management of the Parramatta-based school and the oversight provided by government bodies. The Communities and Justice Department has received 15 notifications of risks of significant harm since 2004 related to the school, but these had not led to a field assessment, according to an earlier response to questions.