Federal Government Investigating Cranbrook School Over Headmaster’s Resignation

The federal government has initiated an investigation into the recent events at Cranbrook School following the unexpected resignation of its prominent headmaster, Nicholas Sampson. Sampson stepped down amid allegations that he was aware of a current teacher at Cranbrook who had sent explicit emails to a former female student in 2014. The issue came to light through an ABC Four Corners broadcast and has raised serious concerns.

In a letter to parents of the prestigious Sydney boys’ school, Cranbrook’s council president Geoff Lovell revealed that the school board had become aware of troubling past conduct involving a senior school teacher. These allegations did not involve current or former Cranbrook students. The teacher in question has been placed on leave pending further investigation by the school.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has instructed his department to look into the situation at Cranbrook and take appropriate action. The school council at Cranbrook convened an emergency meeting, resulting in Sampson’s resignation after an irreversible breakdown of trust surfaced.

The ABC’s report unveiled that the allegations centered around a male teacher who currently works at Cranbrook. This teacher allegedly sent graphic emails to a former female student he taught at a Catholic girls’ school in 2014. The emails contained explicit details and disturbing content about his students.

Despite the teacher continuing to work at Cranbrook this week, the school council decided to place him on leave for a thorough investigation. The NSW Police had previously looked into the matter in 2015 but did not find enough evidence to press charges against the teacher.

The Association of Independent Schools of NSW had also been involved in an investigation regarding serious allegations against the same staff member back in 2015. The association works closely with law enforcement and child protection agencies when conducting such investigations.

Sampson’s resignation has led to Michele Marquet, the head of the junior school at Cranbrook, being appointed as the acting headmaster. Marquet, a long-time advocate for the school, aims to navigate the challenging situation and restore the community’s faith in Cranbrook.