National MP Sam Uffindell spoke to the media after the disclosure on Monday of the vicious attack that resulted in him being asked to leave King's College.
Video / Mark Mitchell
One of New Zealand's most exclusive private schools is calling for past or present pupils with grievances to approach its headmaster as more accounts of misogynistic behaviour emerge.
King's College headmaster Simon Lamb said any students who had experienced abuse or bullying should contact him personally in confidence.
The Auckland boarding school was dragged into the headlines during the past week after it was revealed old boy and newly elected National MP for Tauranga Sam Uffindell was asked to leave the college for beating a boy late at night, allegedly with wooden bed legs, in 1999.
King's College has asked pupils who experienced abuse or bullying to contact the school. Photo / File
Former students have told the Herald of bullying and humiliation at the private boarding school, including girls lining up for swimming lessons catcalled by male pupils in front of staff and a queer student sent to the headmaster's office after a same-sex kiss.
Former King's students have described the culture of the school as "misogynistic" and an "old white boys club".
National MP Sam Uffindell fronted media last week after his bullying past was revealed. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Senior girls, forms six and seven, were admitted to the King's in 1980, while fifth-form girls were allowed to attend from 2016.
A female student, who has asked not to be named and attended King's during late 90s, told the Herald that girls were humiliated and catcalled by boys during line-ups for swimming lessons.
"We were treated like we were just there to boost boys' performance in class because girls were considered below them. The school's motto is manliness prevails.
"During my time there, I witnessed how boys would whistle at us like in dog training shows when we would line up for swimming in the morning. All the teachers and staff saw it happen but did nothing."
She said girls were only accepted by the students if they slept around, and if they didn't, then they became the target of bullying by boys.
"Being a teenager was tough on its own but we had to be subjected to sexism in classrooms and expected to be okay with it.
"Monday morning classes began with boys boasting about their 'conquests' over the weekend, they'd say they took explicit images of girls they slept with.
Marvelly said last week: "Bullying was rife at King's when I was there in 2006-2007."
The musician and author returned to the school in 2017 for a speech as part of Literature Week celebrations but was later bombarded with misogynistic comments from King's students.
"If this is still happening at the college, things need to change for all the young girls studying there," the student from the late 90s told the Herald.
Another student who attended the private school from 2013-2017 said as a queer student they endured what would be considered "shocking" today.
"Culture was very old, boys club, either you fit into the mould or you were reminded every day you didn't.
"In the last year of school, a photo of me kissing another male student was spread around and I got heckled for it.
"Rumours were made about me and, the other student got bullied so bad he left to go to another school.
"Meanwhile I got sent to the deputy headmaster's office where I got a lecture on how my behaviour reflects on the school and that 'you are a King's boy whether you are in [the] school gates or out' … which leaves me to think that the perfect King's boy should be straight?"
Numerous other straight teenagers made out with one another at parties and faced no consequences social or disciplinary with the school, the former student said.
"My housemaster was supportive at the time. There are many teachers trying to make the culture become more supportive of students but it's just incredibly stuck."
Lamb, the school's headmaster, said the college invests heavily in a pastoral care approach that emphasises the importance of student wellbeing and respect for others.
Lamb said in recent times, the college had stepped up its acceptance, diversity and inclusion initiatives across the school, with an emphasis on ensuring all students appreciate the importance of regarding and treating one another with respect and understanding, whatever their background, ethnicity, sex or gender.
"Girl students have been a welcome part of King's College since 1980. We believe this has made the school a better place, to the benefit of all students.
"There is a LGBTIQ+ group at King's, supported by the college at a senior staff level. In developing and progressing our acceptance, diversity and inclusion initiatives, we have engaged with external groups."
As with many other schools, acceptance, diversity and inclusion had been an ongoing journey for King's College, Lamb said.
"Issues may arise from time to time and when they do, we do our best to resolve them," he said.
"If any student, past or present, wishes to discuss any concerns they have about their time at King's College, we encourage them to contact in strictest confidence the current headmaster."
