Roedean: A Proud History Sullied by Jew Hatred

Roedean School is one of South Africa’s most prestigious private schools, with a proud history, stretching back over a century. But this illustrious history has been (possibly permanently) tarnished by the school’s recent decision to not play a sports fixture against King David Linksfield, a Jewish school in Johannesburg.

A leaked audio recording has exposed that Roedean deliberately avoided playing a tennis match against King David Linksfield, due to a reluctance to compete against Jewish pupils. Initially, the school claimed the cancellation was due to scheduling conflicts, but the recording revealed the truth – that Roedean did not honour the fixture due to pressure from parents and the school “community”.

Yesterday, Roedean issued an unsigned PR statement attempting damage control, but the effort only highlighted the school’s disgraceful dishonesty. Instead of owning up to the issue, they’ve shifted the blame, claiming that the problem stemmed from “issues” the students had and that the real fault lay in King David releasing the recordings. According to Roedean, the release of the recordings went against the students’ best interests – as if exposing the truth was the real crime here.

This is nothing short of disgraceful. Caught in their lies, Roedean resorted to using a PR agency to deflect responsibility, further proving their lack of commitment to the values of inclusivity and respect that parents expect when sending their children to the school.

Founded in 1903, Roedean School is one of South Africa’s most prestigious girls' schools. Established to offer a British-style education, it initially served the children of British immigrants and expatriates in Johannesburg. Over time, Roedean became a hallmark of academic excellence, renowned for its strong Anglican foundation, and commitment to nurturing young women in both intellectual and spiritual development. The school was specifically designed to combine high-quality academic education with Christian values, providing a space where students could grow both morally and academically.

It boasts a number of illustrious alumni, including award-winning speculative fiction author Lauren Beukes; controversial journalist Jani Allan; current Cabinet minister Barbara Creecy; and Sheena Duncan, a prominent anti-apartheid activist.

Roedean also charges some of the highest school fees in the country, topped only by three boys’ schools in KwaZulu-Natal – Hilton, Michaelhouse, and Kearsney.

Roedean’s Anglican heritage is an integral part of its identity. For decades, students have participated in weekly chapel services, and religious education was woven into the fabric of daily life at the school. The chapel, a central feature of the school, serves not only as a place of Christian worship but also as a space for moral reflection, with services intended to foster a sense of community among students. The choir, a significant tradition at Roedean, allowed students to engage in musical worship, further reinforcing the school’s religious focus.

However, in recent years, Roedean has faced increasing pressure from some parents and students to shift its focus away from its Christian roots. In 2023 the school made headlines for appointing Ummah Heart, an external service provider to provide what it called “Islamic enrichment”. The group has been heavily criticised for its radical stance on some issues, including glorifying terrorism in social media posts. One such post of many in 2023 included the statement, "For [the Western world] death is defeat, for us death with Imam is victory", thereby promoting martyrdom. Many of the social media posts included imagery widely interpreted as referencing the paragliders used by Hamas during their 7 October murderous slaughter of Jews in Israel.

A typical parent of a day student at Roedean will pay close to a million rand during the course of their child's education for the privilege of being taught to be tolerant of antisemitism. Parents who entrust their daughters to Roedean expect an environment of inclusivity and respect, but recent revelations have cast a shadow over the school’s commitment to these values.