Waverley College, Sydney: Anti-Semitic culture revealed at elite Catholic boys school

Anti-Semitism is rife at one of Australia’s most exclusive private schools and has led to an exodus of Jewish staff and students, according to an inside source.

The student from the Catholic all-boys school Waverley College, situated in the affluent eastern suburbs of Sydney were students pay up to $22,500 a year to attend, made the startling accusations after a week of turmoil.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that six Year 9 students were expelled for brutal and bizarre hazing rituals inflicted on Year 7s.

The source told the Daily Telegraph anti-Jewish slurs and even Nazi salutes are routine at the school while racist phrases including  ‘f**k the Jews’, ‘you Jewish sl**’ and ‘I idolise Hitler’, are also commonplace.

Jewish staff and teachers are so targeted they are leaving the school, according to the student.

He claimed boys had even hurled anti-Semitic abuse over the school fence at a passing Jewish family in 2021. 

A student has claimed anti-Semitism is rife at the exclusive private all-boys Waverley College (pictured) in the affluent eastern suburbs of Sydney 

Sickening hazing rituals students were subjected to 

Year 7 students were beaten with belts leaving them with bruises and welts.

Students locked into fire hydrant cupboard for hours.

Boys filmed saying humiliating phrases such as ‘I’m your b**ch’.

Students make to bark like a dog.

A swastika drawn on a boy’s wrist. 

The incident was so concerning a snap whole-of-school assembly was called to address the behaviour by Principal Graham Leddie.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Waverley college for comment. 

During the hazing incident that saw the six boys expelled, one Year 7 student had a Nazi swastika drawn on his wrist. 

A parent of that boy claimed the school said it had consulted with local Jewish groups about the swastikas and determined the symbols of hate weren’t racist, as they were only meant to ‘get the boy in trouble’.

As many as 16 Year 7 boys were taken into a classroom without CCTV cameras by a group of Year 9 boys over three days in October. 

The students were then ordered to bark like a dog and were lashed with a belt – while some were locked in a fire hydrant cupboard for several hours. 

The Year 9’s allegedly filmed the boys saying humiliating phrases like ‘I’m your b****’.

It appears the expulsion has sharply divided the school with some claiming the reported hazing did not happen and was merely planned retaliation on a group of Year 7s who had been ‘provoking’ Year 9s.

In an email to the Waverley College community on Thursday afternoon, Waverley Principal Graham Leddie wrote that Year 9’s had been ‘provoked’ by the younger boys.

However, he said the Year 9s’ response was ‘completely disproportionate’.

A Waverley College student (stock image pictured) claims that slurs have been aimed at Jewish students, staff and even a family passing the school grounds

‘What started as some silly behaviour turned into assault and humiliation type behaviours,’ Mr Leddie said.

Parents of the Year 7s say Mr Leddie has warned them about keeping their sons away from local areas where they might be subject to retaliatory attacks by the expelled students. 

The areas the students have been told to avoid over the summer holidays include Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre and a grassed area at Bronte Beach.

‘Mr Leddie did say that while he didn’t expect any sort of retribution, to be on the safe side, it might be a good idea,’ one unnamed father said.

‘He (Mr Leddie) tried to generalise it by saying you shouldn’t go to Bronte gully anyway.’ 

Solicitor Paul Kenny, who is representing a number of the Year 9 boys expelled, weighed in to say there would be no retaliation. 

The Year 7 students were ordered to bark like a dog and lashed with a belt – while some were locked in a fire hydrant cupboard for hours (stock image)

After the three days of hazing in October, the boys were left with bruises and welts after being lashed with a belt. 

Parents weren’t unaware of the violent hazing until one victim told his mother what happened, but not that he had been targeted. 

It took almost two days for the boy to admit he had been subjected to the cruel attacks.

‘His initial reaction was total denial. It took a decent 24-48 hours to get what we understand is now the truth out of him,’ the boy’s mother said.

After catching wind of a ‘potential issue’, Waverley College called a meeting with parents of boys who were victim to the hazing.

As a result of these meetings, Mr Leddie said the school swiftly expelled the boys involved in the ‘wrongful behaviour’.

He said the ‘victims and the perpetrators’ were aged between 12 and 14 years old. 

‘What took place was unacceptable on every level,’ the principal said in a statement. 

The school has offered psychology sessions to the students, however a number of Year 7 boys have already been removed from the school by their parents (stock image)

‘Some Year 7 students provoked some Year 9s by throwing some fruit and water at them during lunch time. The Year 9s responded completely disproportionately to students who were two years younger than they were and it got out of hand. 

‘Most of the students that were attacked had nothing to do with provoking the year 9s and were innocent victims.’

‘The College moved quickly and sent a clear message that whether we treat someone with respect or disrespect – there will always be a corresponding outcome that they are responsible for,’ he said. 

‘The choice is up to each person to determine what outcome they want their actions to have, and they must live with the consequences of that.’ 

Parents remain concerned there are other victims who are yet to come forward. 

The school has offered psychology sessions to the students, however a number of parents have opted to move their boys to a brand new school.  

Mr Leddie said he had been in contact with NSW Police who said the school had handled the incident ‘appropriately’.

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