Principal regrets allowing student to dress up as Hitler for book week

Roger Herbert, the principal of St Philip’s College, said he takes full responsibility.

A student at a private Australian school was allowed to dress up as Adolf Hitler for a Book Week parade – which coincided with a visit by Jewish exchange students.

Herbert said he had already apologized to the Jewish students from Melbourne’s Bialik College and the principle of their school.

Bialik College principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner said the students were “saddened” by the incident, but the school was dealing with it appropriately.

“We got them together and apologized and they were fantastic, absolutely fantastic, and accepting”, he said.

According to ABC, the student asked if he could dress like Hitler, and a teacher gave him permission.

Further coverage in next week’s AJN.

A statement from a St Philip’s College spokesman to news.com.au read: “This was an innocent mistake by a teacher who is a respected, honorable and lovely person who got it wrong on the day”.

A month ago, a mother celebrated a “parenting win” after she dressed her child in blackface.

The college said it was reviewing its policies so something like this wouldn’t happen again.

And look, not only did the kid go dressed at Hitler, he was named as being one the best dressed.

The principal of Biliak College in Melbourne says it was an unfortunate incident but said he understood there was no malice intended.It’s one of a number of Book Week incidents to make headlines in recent weeks.

I apologise unreservedly for any offence that has been caused to students, teachers and the wider community.

The teacher involved is a respected member of staff who is deeply apologetic for her error in judgement, and the student has an interest in history and politics and did the right thing by getting permission for his “book week” costume.

“It has been a very distressing lesson for all concerned”.

He also told the Guardian Australia newspaper that the two schools had a six-year relationship and the exchange would continue.

The story Child dresses as Hitler in Alice Springs as visiting Jewish student look on first appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald.