Head of St Paul’s College, Dr Ivan Head, appears to have accidentally posted and deleted a warning to his students on the official St Paul’s College Facebook page, telling them not to write sexist material online because it isn’t private and may hurt future job prospects.
The warning comes in light of a recent article by journalist Nina Funnell for news.com.au, which revealed a post in the St Paul’s student Facebook group from March that compared sex with large women to “harpooning a while”, and offered to help the boys “get rid of some chick” when she won’t leave after a “rooting”.
The original post received nearly 100 likes from other college residents.
Screenshots of post to the ‘St Paul’s College’ official Facebook page last night, signed off with ‘IFH Head’, advises members of the college community against posting “incautious and disrespectful” material that can “lead to damage” in the college’s student Facebook group.
Head warns the material could be “brought into the open” and “may resurface just when you need your best CV to work for you”.
Only at the end of the post does IFH Head say students should have “respect for women: now-always”. Head proceeds to include a statement he provided to the media in light of Funnell’s article.
The statement notes that the offending student was “formally cautioned for his disgraceful comments and he was suspended from the College”, but has since been allowed to return to college.
Honi recently reported St Paul’s had decided against joining the Broderick review into sexism at University of Sydney colleges, after indications that they would take part. Students of the college have previously likened the Review to a “witch-hunt”.
