A barrister representing Victoria Sparrow, a teacher at Marist College Ashgrove, has told the Brisbane Supreme Court that the school permitted a culture of misogyny to “develop and exist.” The teacher claims she suffered a “serious psychiatric injury” after being surrounded by hundreds of students and pelted with food in the schoolyard.
Incident Details
According to the court proceedings, the incident occurred when a group of up to 300 male students surrounded Sparrow in the playground. The students allegedly began chanting and throwing food and drink at her, with some items striking her. Her barrister, Gerard Forde, described the behavior as an “assault” and “pelting” with food.
Claim of Misogyny
Sparrow alleges that the school contributed to the incident by allowing a culture of misogyny to develop. Forde stated that at least three other female staff members had also made complaints about their treatment at the school. He submitted documents regarding these complaints, noting that other women had made complaints but had not disclosed them.
Workers' Compensation Claim
Sparrow served a notice of claim for workers' compensation on 9 July last year. Her claim must go to a compulsory conference to allow for a negotiated settlement. She is seeking documents from the school to aid her claim before conducting negotiations.
Allegations of School Negligence
Forde argued that the school had failed to maintain discipline, lacked appropriate protocols and safety measures for playground duty, and did not offer adequate support after the incident. He claimed there had been a deterioration in student behavior over a long period.
Other Incidents
Forde provided examples of other incidents involving female staff. One teacher, given a pseudonym, was subjected to “numerous gross and offensive comments” by students during a Zoom lesson during COVID-19. The students were described as “sexist and demeaning,” and the issue was brought to the college leadership team. In another incident, a student entered the teachers' lunchroom and threatened a teacher and his family, leading to that teacher being stood down.
Disclosure Dispute
Forde claimed that the school had not released all relevant documents, including regular file notes from meetings about complaints. He argued that the school's assertion that they had produced all documents was false. Justice Patrick McCafferty adjourned the case to allow for a more specific list of documents in dispute, describing it as a “disclosure fight.” The case will return to court on Friday.
