Australian student suspended for organizing student rally because his ideas were 'too dangerous

An Australian high school senior who attempted to organize a student protest was suspended from school earlier this week after the principal determined his ideas were "too dangerous." The "dangerous" ideas in question appear to have primarily centered on the student's belief that the school should not change its historical symbols.

John Paul Romano, a 17-year-old St. Edmund's College student,  was unhappy with the school's announced changes to their school uniform, crest, and school song. To make his voice heard, Romano created a Facebook page for the school's alumni association and encouraged students to protest and strike against the changes.

"Rise up for the men who went before us," he shared in the group on a poster he designed for the event. "Fight for your history."

St. Edmund's principal Daniel Lawler sent a letter home to Romano's father explaining that Romano was being suspended for "bringing the college into disrepute," but did not indicate specifically what the student had done to warrant the suspension. Romano told the Canberra Times that Lawler explained to him that his presence at school would simply be "too dangerous."

"I'm not sure why it's dangerous. I haven't assaulted or threatened anyone," Romano said.

"We were trying to start a conversation," he said. "The protest wasn't to be just a physical one. You could have walked out of class if you wanted. But it was just about making your voice and your opinion known."

Though Lawler was criticized for his handling of the situation, he insisted the school valued the opinions of its students.

"At St. Edmund's, all students are encouraged to express their opinions and these opinions are valued by members of the staff and by me," he said. "The college has avenues that students can follow to make comment, and comment needs to be in respectful, appropriate and in keeping with the ethos of the college and the law."

The Australian Education Act, legislation that sets out the expectations of schools receiving federal funding, does not list bringing "disrepute" as a possible reason to suspend a student attending a non-government school.