Australian pupil in Adolf Hitler costume wins 'best dressed' prize in front of Jewish exchange students

Permission: a staff member allowed the student to dress as Hitler for book week
Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images
Tom Powell9 September 2016

An Australian school has apologised after a pupil wearing an Adolf Hitler costume for book week won a “best-dressed” prize in front of Jewish exchange students.

Local media reported a “respected staff member” at the school, in Alice Springs, had given the pupil permission for the outfit.

He went on to be featured in a parade held during an assembly, where students on an exchange trip from Bialik College, a Jewish school in Melbourne, were present.

The principal of St Philip’s College, Roger Herbert, said the staff member who had granted permission had made an innocent mistake and was “absolutely shattered”.

“I’m really concerned about her wellbeing,” he told ABC.

A school statement said: “This was an innocent mistake by a teacher who is a respected, honourable and lovely person who got it wrong on the day. The student involved has an interest in history and politics and did the right thing by getting permission for his book week costume.”

The principal of Bialik College has claimed the student exchange will continue despite the incident.

He said: “It was an unfortunate incident. Their reaction has been swift with students, parents, staff, our students, us. We’re schools. We’re learning institutions and this is something for everybody to learn from.

“It is distressing. It was a poor judgment call. But the follow-up and the resolution has been outstanding.”

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