Victorian government to apologise in person to Brighton Jewish ex-students
An education department official will make an in-person apology to five students who experienced antisemitic bullying at a Victorian state school.
Matthew Kaplan (right) and Liam Arnold-Levy outside the Federal Court of Australia, in Melbourne Photo: Diego Fedele AAP
Ex-Brighton Secondary College students Joel and Matt Kaplan, Liam Arnold-Levy, Guy Cohen and Zack Snelling took the state, school, two teachers and principal Richard Minack to the Federal Court for a months-long trial last year.
Each of them left Brighton Secondary College prematurely, and four out of five departed the school due to antisemitic bullying.
Chief Justice Debra Mortimer last month found Jewish students were not protected from bullying, discrimination and negligence when they attended the school between 2015 and 2020.
She said Mr Minack, as principal, failed to take action to address “a high level of anti-Semitic bullying and harassment of Jewish students” and swastika graffiti at the school.
On Monday, Chief Justice Mortimer handed down her written judgment and ordered the state to pay the five men more than $500,000 in compensation, including interest and legal costs.
She also ordered a senior official from the Department of Education to issue an oral, in-person apology to the five students.
The department has already sent written letters of apology to the men.
Former education minister Natalie Hutchins last month said the state would use the ruling to identify steps to eliminate anti-Semitism and racism in schools.
“Every Victorian student deserves to feel safe and respected at school,” she said.
“We deeply regret the anti-Semitism experienced by students at Brighton Secondary College and apologise unreservedly.”
