Newington’sThe Founders Society chairman Greg Mitchell quit his post in protest last Thursday.

“It is with a heavy heart that I will be withdrawing my bequest to the College,” Mitchell said. “I’m also aware of many others who already have and others who intend to do so.”

The Founders Society was established in 2010 to raise money for the school and scholarships by asking alumni to donate by making a bequest in their wills.

“I believe this decision is ideologically driven by the minority and is now being imposed on the whole of the Newington community with potentially disastrous consequences. It flies against 160 years of history,tradition and reputation as one of the finest educators of boys in the country,” Mitchell said.

Another old boy,Ian Webster,also said his former classmates had indicated they would withdraw bequests made to the college.

“I have evidence that they are deciding to change those bequests because of this decision… I would say that millions of dollars are at risk,and that comment applies to members of my immediate cohort alone,” he said.

The school first floated the co-ed idea to parents almost two years ago,along with a proposal to make the school more culturally and socio-economically diverse.

A document produced by former members of the school council in April this year to evaluate the idea highlighted a lack of funds for building programs to make the transition to accommodate girls. It also said the co-ed plan had made old boys reluctant to leave a bequest for the school.

“Concern has been raised for many years that sources of government funding (both state and federal) will start to dry up,and sensibly the College Council has had an eye to this possibility for many years,” it said.

“With very limited opportunities for a properly accommodated increase in overall student numbers … the above risks to both federal and state funding necessitate extreme caution when it comes to consideration of any ultra-large capital or operational expenditure.”

Anonline petition signed by more than 1400 people has demanded the school scrap the decision and “preserve Newington’s legacy for future generations”.

A survey of about 900 former students inJune 2022 found 57 per cent did were opposed or undecided on the co-ed change,while 32 per cent were in favour. The rising cost of school fees was rated as the biggest challenge to the future of the school. Fees jumped by about 6 per cent for its senior school students to almost $39,000 for year 12 last year.

Newington College and its school council declined to comment on the legal challenge and the threat of donations and bequests being withdrawn.

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