Yarra Valley Grammar School takes drastic action against students behind vile list ranking female classmates from 'wifey' to 'unrapeables'

  • Four Yarra Valley Grammar School boys suspended
  • Two have been expelled over mounting pressure 

The school where four male pupils allegedly produced a list ranking their female peers from 'wifey' to 'unrapeable' has responded to calls for them to be expelled.

Four boys from Yarra Valley Grammar School were suspended after the list was posted to social media, with principal Mark Merry calling the act 'disgraceful'.

The shocking list, which featured photos of female students and ranked them from best to worst as 'wifeys', 'cuties', 'mid', 'object', 'get out' and 'unrapeable', was discovered by the school last Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the school sent out a letter to the parents of all students informing them that two of the four boys were expelled.

'The investigation of this issue has been complex and time consuming and can't be rushed and I thank our students and families for your patience and confidence as we ensured that all the circumstances were known,' Dr Merry said in the letter.

The school where four male pupils allegedly produced a list ranking their female peers from 'wifey' to 'unrapeable' has responded to calls for them to be expelled

The school where four male pupils allegedly produced a list ranking their female peers from 'wifey' to 'unrapeable' has responded to calls for them to be expelled 

The shocking list, which featured photos of female students and ranked them from best to worst as 'wifeys', 'cuties', 'mid', 'object', 'get out' and 'unrapeable', was discovered by the school last Wednesday (stock image)

The shocking list, which featured photos of female students and ranked them from best to worst as 'wifeys', 'cuties', 'mid', 'object', 'get out' and 'unrapeable', was discovered by the school last Wednesday (stock image)

'As a result of these investigations, yesterday I formed the view that the position of two students at Yarra has become untenable and as a consequence they will not be returning to the School.

'Others, who have played a lesser role in this matter have been subject to further disciplinary action.'

He also acknowledged that this week has been a 'difficult one for [the school] community', particularly the female students who were featured in the list.

'A number of our students had been unfairly targeted in a cruel and highly offensive online post which caused great hurt to them and their families and distress to their friends,' he said.

On Monday, a group of 118 former students organised a petition calling for the school to deliver harsher consequences to the students accused of making the list.

'The list is disgusting ... I think very highly of the school and I respect that an investigation is underway, but I do expect a strong response from them,' one former female student said.

'Going to a school like Yarra Valley Grammar is a privilege and that privilege can, and should, be taken away for bad behaviour.

Four boys from Yarra Valley Grammar School were suspended after the list was posted to social media, with principal Mark Merry calling the act 'disgraceful'

Four boys from Yarra Valley Grammar School were suspended after the list was posted to social media, with principal Mark Merry calling the act 'disgraceful' 

'If you send a message that you suspend these students and make them go into counselling but then they go back into the classroom ... it sends a message that these boys' education is more important than these poor girls involved.'

Yarra Valley Grammar principal Mark Merry spoke to Nine on Sunday and described the post as 'disgraceful'.

'Respect for each other is in the DNA of this school, and so this was a shock not only to us ... but it was a shock to the year level and the boys in the year level that see this as way, way out of line,' he said.

He said he was offended by the final category and had since reported the matter to police to ensure the list wasn't linked to any criminal offence.

It costs about $30,000 a year to send a student to the elite Ringwood private school, and Dr Merry said the school prided itself on teaching 'respectful relationships' (pictured, a letter written by the school principal)

It costs about $30,000 a year to send a student to the elite Ringwood private school, and Dr Merry said the school prided itself on teaching 'respectful relationships' (pictured, a letter written by the school principal) 

'As a father, I find it absolutely outrageous, disgraceful, offensive. As a principal, I need to make some decisions (about) what we do about all of this,' he said.

'My first impulse and concern is about the wellbeing of the girls concerned. I want to make sure they feel assured and supported by the school.'

'We are going to be consulting the police because the language used could be an inferred threat.

'I don't think it was, but we need to get further advice on that ... I'm hoping it was an appalling lapse in judgment.'

It costs about $30,000 a year to send a student to the elite Ringwood private school, and Dr Merry said the school prided itself on teaching 'respectful relationships'.

'We are well aware of the broader issues in relation to respecting women ... we need to really do our best to ensure that young men understand their responsibilities and their boundaries of how they should behave,' he said.

Just last week, Victorian MP Georgie Purcell raised the need for an investigation into sexism in schools after Monash University released new research about the rise of misogyny

Just last week, Victorian MP Georgie Purcell raised the need for an investigation into sexism in schools after Monash University released new research about the rise of misogyny 

Just last week, Victorian MP Georgie Purcell raised the need for an investigation into sexism in schools after Monash University released new research about the rise of misogyny.

'(The researchers) found that numerous female teachers have recently resigned due to the unrelenting sexism and misogyny directed at them by male students,' she said.

'It is exactly this objectification by boys of women and young girls in every aspect of their daily lives that leads to them growing up into men who feel entitled to power and emboldened by masculinity to subordinate and violently abuse women.'

Ms Purcell said schools needed to 'start calling out this behaviour' as gendered violence and take responsibility for their role in preventing young men from forming misogynistic attitudes.

Yarra Valley Grammar has been contacted for comment.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).