Karl and Ally slam "deplorable” private schoolboys’ messages
Content warning: This article contains disturbing content, including references to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).
Karl Stefanovic has called out the behaviour of several students from Sydney private school Knox Grammar, after highly offensive messages sent by the boys emerged.
The school launched an internal investigation and expelled several students who were involved, with the messages exposed and referred to NSW Police.
Messages obtained by the Daily Telegraph were sent by students with usernames such as “n*****removalservice” and “Fa**othater3000” and contained a mix of racist, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic sentiments.
“Hitler is always stay in my heart… Heil Hitler,” one message read.
“I hate fems, I hate gays, jews, people who don’t play fortnite, furries, n*****s, I love titties, feet abortion, rape, drugs,” read another.
“Silly ‘pro choicers’ think women’s rights matter … I only hate children and wish for them to die, take them out at the source,” a third read.
A series of messages sent between students in a private group chat contain anti-Semitic, racist, and homophobic sentiments, as well as references to abusing children. Image: The Daily Mail
The students used Discord, an encrypted messaging app, to send the messages in a group called “Gang Gang”, which Stefanovic described as “sick” and “deplorable” before going on to call out the school’s response.
“I think this is deplorable. The school should be run over the coals,” he began.
“If I’m a parent at the school, I’m pulling my kid out.
“I think this is one of the most disgusting and deplorable things I have seen.”
The Today show host said that although “boys will be boys” - a phrase that comes from a Latin proverb that “children are children and do childish things” - what these students did went “way too far”.
“They need to be absolutely pulled over the coals, these kids,” Stefanovic said.
“How do we expect these boys to grow up and respect women when they are circulating this sort of rubbish around themselves.
“And they take that into the workplace and the culture continues. I mean, it needs to be eliminated and eliminated now.
“It’s just disgusting what we read this morning. It makes you sick.”
Co-host Ally Langdon also shared her disgust at the “revolting” messages.
“Some of this stuff is downright revolting,” she said.
“I think sometimes it can be dismissed as boys will be boys but what was read and what was posted on this site was so offensive it takes it to a whole new level.”
The group chat, which was believed to have been created about two years ago, also contained disturbing videos of young men appearing to be raped or assaulted, as well as comments about wanting to rape children and being a paedophile.
Crime reporter Mark Morri, who was alerted to the chat room’s content by a source, has since passed on material from the group chat to the NSW Police Child Abuse and Sex Crimes unit.
“Even if they see no criminality or come back saying that it is in fact over-the-top teenage behaviour, I’m very comfortable in exposing this because I think every parent in every school should know that impressionable teenagers are dabbling in a secret and dark world that we have to address,” he wrote.
A spokesperson from Knox Grammar told The Daily Mail that the students had been expelled and are now “trying to settle in at other schools”.
In a letter sent home to parents last week, Knox Headmaster Scott James said the students had posted “inappropriate messages and engaged in offensive community in private chat rooms”.
“The nature of these posts is contrary to the values and culture of Knox and is unacceptable,” the letter read.
“The actions of these boys do not reflect a Knox education or the expectations that we place on our students to be respectful and responsible citizens in the community.”
Mr James said the students’ punishment varied depending on their participation, from being suspended to leaving the school, and had all been to counselling and taken part in lessons “to reiterate the importance of respectful and appropriate behaviour as well as the impact of their choices”.
Knox Grammar Headmaster Scott James wrote to parents about the behaviour and asked them to speak with their sons about how they act on social media. Image: The Daily Telegraph
The letter also revealed that the group chat included doctored photos of images taken during school activities, which have been discussed with the families of identifiable students and police.
“To be very clear, the doctored images do not require mandatory reporting under child protection requirements, and we have discussed the matter with Police,” the letter said.
Parents were asked to speak to their sons about using social media and acting respectfully “whether on line or in person”.
Forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro said the content was deeply disturbing and that “it gives off a feeling of a club or even a cult”.
“Obviously there is an aspect of, perhaps, teenage boys trying to outdo each other by trying to post the most outrageous comments. But there is also some very dangerous aspects to this behaviour,” he told the Telegraph.
“Constant talk and exposure to these themes can lead to desensitisation. If someone is a bit unhinged in this group it could cause them to act out in reality some of the violent themes which have been spoken about in the posts.”
Mr Watson-Munro said social media and chat rooms have power and influence over young people that pose major challenges for schools, parents, and broder society, and called on parents to be aware and proactive with their children.
“Parents do have to be aware of what their children are accessing on their computers and schools have to also be proactive in how they police and educate their charges,” he said.
“It’s very different to what any previous generation has seen in regards to exposure of pornography, violence and other anti-social behaviour.’’
If you or anyone you know needs immediate mental health support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636, or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au.
Image: The Today Show