Parents shut out of AGM after bullying claims
PARENTS and a board member were shut out of a meeting at a Gold Coast Christian college days after media reports of allegations of staff bullying were made public.
Two employees of Hillcrest Christian College, a human resources manager and chief operating officer who previously raised issues about the school, were stood down by principal Jeff Davis. The move sparked calls for an investigation into the principal’s decisions.
Yesterday’s planned annual general meeting of the Reedy Creek Baptist Church, which owns Hillcrest Christian College, turned into a damagecontrol exercise, with organisers deciding at the last minute to allow only company members through the doors.
Long-term Hillcrest Christian College non-executive board member Steve Hunt and Christian Schools Australia chief executive Daniel Pampuch were among those left standing outside in the sun.
Mr Hunt said people were physically stopped from going into the meeting.
“A lot of people were prevented going in by people who had no authority and using stand-over tactics,” Mr Hunt said. “I was entitled to be in that meeting; it’s unconstitutional that I wasn’t let in.”
He is calling for a transparent and fair investigation of the allegations surrounding the college: “The concern I have and many parents have is this veil of secrecy over the management of the college,
“Senior staff members have been stood down and that’s a major concern for everyone.”
A former teacher of the college, Lynette Nieuwoudt, said she resigned in 2017 because of bullying. She said she was made to feel intimidated, fearful and anxious during her final years working there.
“For me, it was a toxic environment,” Ms Nieuwoudt said.
“I came here today to look the principal in the eyes and ask him his response to the allegations (about the) treatment of staff. I had many meetings with him when he said things that I just never got a chance to respond to.”
She said she still suffered from PTSD as a result and stayed silent to not ruin her chances of future employment.
Multiple parents refuted the allegations and described Mr Davis as a standout character with high morals and values.
They said their children flourished since starting at Hillcrest and said Mr Davis was a major reason for that.
“I’d go to war for this man,” said a parent, whose child suffered bullying at a prior school.
Mr Davis did not comment.