A Troubling Legacy: Past Punishments and Bullying at Ballarat Grammar

Ballarat Grammar School, a once-venerated institution, bears a scars of a dark past marked by physical punishment and bullying. Alumni recall the 1950s and 60s when teachers, including the esteemed Headmaster Jack Dart, used corporal punishment with rattan canes. This practice, though legal then, left deep emotional and physical scars. Older students also inflicted brutal rituals like "toothpasting" and "nuggeting," reflecting a toxic culture that preyed on the vulnerable. This legacy of fear and pain casts a shadow over the school’s history, highlighting a culture of dominance and hierarchy.

Decades of Suffering: Rituals of Humiliation and Abuse

The late 80s and early 90s saw no respite, as a former student recounts horrendous rituals at Wigan House. Young boys, stripped of dignity, were forced into naked runs and subjected to aerosol flames, their terror palpable. The trauma from such events lingers, a stark reminder of systemic abuse within boarding schools. These rituals, far from harmless fun, were orchestrated humiliation, embedding a cycle of fear and submission.

Recent Incidents and the School’s Response

In 2018, a 13-year-old boy was burned with an aerosol can, leaving permanent scars. His mother’s outrage at the school’s inadequate response underscores systemic negligence. By 2023, another incident involving a heated spoon drew police attention, revealing a persistent culture of "strapping." While the school denies a broader cultural issue, an external investigator has been appointed, signaling a belated acknowledgment of the problem.

Broader Context: The Prevalence of Hazing in Boarding Schools

Ballarat Grammar is not alone. Law firm Arnold Thomas & Becker notes similar issues across Victorian schools, with bullying often unaddressed. Rituals of hazing, including late-night beatings and humiliations, suggest a widespread issue, challenging the idyllic image of boarding schools. This systemic problem reflects failed oversight and a culture of silence, allowing abuse to thrive.

Expert Insights: Toxic Masculinity and the Cultural Cycle

Experts link these behaviors to a resurgence of toxic masculinity, emphasizing dominance and hierarchy. Professor Steven Roberts highlights how hazing becomes embedded in school culture, perpetuated by each cohort. The post-lockdown era and social media’s influence on gender norms may exacerbate these practices, normalizing harmful rituals as "rites of passage," disproportionately affecting male-dominated groups.

Moving Forward: A Call for Change and Accountability

The Australian Boarding Schools Association defends most schools, yet acknowledges the severity of Ballarat’s issues. The emphasis now is on change—school accountability, cultural shifts, and support for victims. Ballarat Grammar must confront its past, reassure its community, and ensure a future where safety and empathy triumph over tradition and conformity.

This structured approach traces the evolution of abuse at Ballarat Grammar, urging a path towards healing and accountability, ensuring such atrocities never recur.