A group of senior students at one of Sydney’s most elite private boys’ schools is under investigation for allegedly killing a goanna at a school camp last month.
Goanna is one of the species of lizard found in Australia and Southeast Asia.
In a statement on Friday, The King’s School confirmed the incident but declined to comment further as the issue is in the hands of police.
“We can confirm that a goanna was killed by senior students,” the school said.
“The school does not condone the behaviour of these students. It is inconsistent with the values and expectations of behaviour at King’s.”
It also confirmed that school staff reported the matter to the police and the Australian Defence Force.
New South Wales police said a probe is underway into the alleged killing, which reportedly took place at the Singleton Military Area in the Hunter Valley.
“Police have been told the reptile was allegedly killed on the afternoon of Wednesday 29 March 2023 at a school camp.”
Founded in 1931, the King’s School is Australia’s oldest independent school.
Located in North Parramatta, the school is situated on a 148-hectare suburban campus. It is one of the largest boarding schools in the country, having about 2,100 students from kindergarten to year 12 and about 430 boarders from years 5-12.
King’s charges up to $41,410 per year for year 12 students, about $24,000 for kindergarten students, and additional $32,680 for boarders.
King’s Controversy: Animal Cruelty, Misuse of Taxpayer Money, Bullying
It was not the first time the school came under scrutiny for alleged animal cruelty acts by its students. In 2016, a King’s teacher posted footage on Facebook showing a group of students aggressively tackling, dragging and flipping sheep in a farm paddock during a training exercise.Australian peak animal welfare organisation, RSPCA Australia, launched a probe into the matter.
However, King’s headmaster at the time, Tim Hawkes defended the students’ action, saying the task was “not dissimilar to that undertaken by shearer.”
“I am satisfied that the activity was properly supervised and that no animals or boys were hurt,” he told ABC News.
“The task was supervised closely by the farmer … The two rugby coaches involved were assured by the farmer beforehand that the activity was safe and all the more so because he would be supervising it carefully. No animals were injured in the exercise. Neither were any boys.”
In 2022, King’s was also criticised for using taxpayer money to fund a plan to build plunge pool for headmaster Tony George. The school was also revealed to have approved a plan to send the headmaster, deputy and both of their wives on a flight in business class to a British rowing event.
The private school has also came under fire for bullying and sexual misconduct incidents. This includes an incident in 2011 when a teacher faced 11 charges for possession of images of child abuse, and in 2014, when a student was expelled for pulling a knife on a boarding student.
