Police have been called to a high school to investigate boys who had created a list ranking their female classmates based on their appearance.
The Year 9 boys at McClelland College in Frankston in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs compiled and distributed the list on May 10.
It is believed that the list has judged female students entering high school based on their appearance, deeply upsetting some. said a report in the Herald Sun.
McClelland College (pictured) in Frankston in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs is investigating a list that rates female students based on their appearance after it was created and distributed by a group of boys in Year 9.
Victoria Police officers have been called in to investigate, although such actions do not violate any public law.
“Police have contacted the school to assess the information but no criminal offense has been discovered at this stage,” a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
‘No formal complaints have been received by the police.’
Laura Spence, acting principal of McClelland College, said upset students have received support.
“The safety and well-being of our students is an absolute top priority for us, and we support those students affected by this behavior,” she said.
‘I am very grateful to the students who immediately brought the matter to my attention.’
Ms Spence said disciplinary action had been taken against the students who made the list and further action would be considered as the school receives more information.
A spokesperson for Victoria’s Department of Education told Daily Mail Australia it is committed to ensuring students form respectful relationships, and measures are in place to facilitate this engagement.
“Misogynistic and disrespectful behavior is completely unacceptable in any Victorian school – and the school has rightly taken swift action,” the spokesperson said.
“More than 1,950 Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools have signed up to the Respectful Relationships initiative, which supports them in embedding respect and gender equality throughout their school community and eradicating these despicable attitudes towards women.
“We all have a responsibility to teach students respect – and we will continue to invest in programs that promote gender equality to entrench those attitudes.”
Police have been informed of the list and the school is conducting further investigations as it provides support to the affected students (stock image)
According to its website, McClelland College is committed to “providing a child-safe and child-friendly environment in which students are safe and feel safe.”
The latest school incident comes after four boys from Yarra Valley Grammar in Ringwood, in Melbourne’s east, were suspended after creating a spreadsheet that also ranked female classmates based on their appearance.
The list, which the school discovered on May 1, included photos of female students and ranked them from best to worst.
A petition was signed by 118 former students demanding that the boys who created the spreadsheet be expelled. Two of the students involved were subsequently expelled.
Yarra Valley Grammar Director Dr. Mark Merry said the behavior was intolerable.
“As a father, I find it absolutely outrageous, disgraceful and insulting. As director I have to make a number of decisions [about] what we are doing about all of this,” said Dr. Merry.
The matter was reported to the police.
Interestingly, Facebook started when Mark Zuckerberg created a website at Harvard University that invited people to rate the attractiveness of students.
He narrowly escaped expulsion, but expanded the concept by founding Facebook and the Meta Group, which now has $230 billion in assets.
The latest incident comes after four boys attending Yarra Valley Grammar School (pictured) in Ringwood, Melbourne’s east, were suspended for creating a disrespectful spreadsheet rating the appearance of female classmates.