Comments from the Principal 1.10.21

Kia ora e te whanau
​
​The view from my office each morning is absolutely spectacular……..

I am so grateful every single day to be the Principal of such an outstanding school, to work alongside fantastic teachers and to see our students growing and excelling every day. There have been many achievements this term but what I am most proud of is the way our students have come back from lockdown without a fuss and have quickly got back into the routines of school life. There have been many disappointments in the cancellations and postponements of school, cultural and sporting events but our young people have shown resilience and fortitude since returning. I think we are all grateful to be back at school.
Recently a teacher lamented to me about the behaviour of our young boys at St Peter’s College and this surprised me greatly. It did get me reflecting however on if we offer the best service and education to our boys as we do to our girls. As a female I know there is a certain bias in my thinking, but I have also had experience in teaching in a boy’s school and know that they do indeed have different needs.

The general statistics show, unfortunately, that there is this deep and growing inequality between the genders in almost all areas of life. So, what are some of the general and anecdotally disturbing statistics:

• Boys are more likely to commit suicide.
• Boys are more likely not to complete their university degrees, their apprenticeships, or their life ambitions.
• If boys graduate at university it will be more likely to be in dead end, short shelf-life subjects.
• Boys are more likely to join gangs for companionship.
• Boys will become men who will happily produce children but will not support or commit to their education...the fatherless society.
• Boys will undertake risk-taking dangerous activities because they think they are bulletproof proof...until proved otherwise.
• More boys will graduate to being homeless men sleeping in Queen Street and other big city streets.
• More boys will be hooked to the despairing thrill of dope, P and their addictive cousins more than the narcotic of learning.
• Boys are more likely to misread the sexual politics of consent.

​And many more trends as parents, especially mothers fear for the future of their sons. If our Covid parent has taught us anything, it is that the future of secondary boys learning will be found...

• Not solely through a computer screen or phone.
• Not in a school culture of doing what you like when you like.

Our job is to educate boys to become relational men. If we educate boys to be strong, well-qualified, relational men then they will empower their future daughters to be leaders in boardrooms!

If we are to articulate what St Peter's College is about..it would have to be that genderised idea that our NZ boys, our St Peter’s men deserve an equal deal as their sisters.
It has been a hard term of disruption for the school. Parents you have to be proud of your children in what they do with everything cancelled. Character in the making. Thank you to all our teachers who have worked so hard with routines disrupted and personal connection cancelled. Thank you to our families who speak so positively about St Peter's College and Rosmini House out in the community. Enjoy the holidays!

​See you Monday 18th October at 8.45 am.

Charity fulfils the Law


Tara Quinney,
Principal

---