'Completely dismayed': Private school directs students to porn in email bungle

Henrietta Cook, Patrick Bartley

Published: September 6 2017 - 11:46AM

A Melbourne private school is offering counselling to students after unintentionally directing them to a hardcore pornographic website.

Peninsula Grammar made an unfortunate typo in an email that was sent to students on Tuesday to spruik a Brownlow breakfast event with Essendon footballer Brendan Goddard and former Hawthorn player Brian Lake.

When children clicked on a link to book tickets they found themselves on an adult website with hundreds of incredibly graphic pornographic videos.

"We have now realised that there was a typographical error in the link provided in the email which meant that instead of linking to our event it links to an inappropriate adult website," the school's deputy principal of student welfare, Peter Ford, wrote in an email sent to parents on Tuesday night.

"We realise the gravity of this error and are deeply remorseful. Whilst this was completely unintentional, we are extremely upset that we may have exposed our students to a website of this nature as it is clearly not in line with our school values."

When the Mount Eliza school became aware of the blunder it emailed students urging them to not click the link. They were told it may infect their computers.

One parent, who did not want to be named, said he was "totally and completely dismayed" and could not understand how the incident happened.

"Fortunately I don't have a child in year 7, but if I did I would be ropeable. They are supposed to be the guardians of these young children and protecting them from such filth."

He said telling students not to access the link was a sure way of encouraging them to click the link.

Mr Ford told parents that the school was "running a process" to delete the emails from students accounts, which they expected to complete on Tuesday night.

Parents were also urged to also check their child's account and manually delete the email.

The school is now conducting an investigation into the incident.

It said the investigation would address any potential breaches of the new child safety standards, which are aimed at protecting children from harm.

The school's Brownlow breakfast – which cost $75 for adults and $60 for students – was promoted as a great community event and a "fantastic way to prepare for AFL finals week".

Principal Stuart Johnston said all of the emails were deleted by 7.45 pm.

"Our students' safety is our number one priority."

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/completely-dismayed-private-school-directs-students-to-porn-in-email-bungle-20170906-gybrdm.html