Melbourne High School headmaster Jeremy Ludowyke has hit back at the school’s Year 12 student leader, who delivered a scathing speech against the school during a student assembly. Ludowyke claims the school was simply trying to prevent the meat market mentality and misogynistic behavior among students.
In his final-year speech, student leader Ben Qin says that he no longer believes in the inner city selective school. Other students have lost faith in Melbourne High as well after the institution had to change three social events. Qin adds that the students are not happy with the changes and the school has become out of touch with the students.
These events included House Captains’ Strip, where student leaders would perform a strip show at the school’s year 12 formal; the Milk Run, where the school’s students drank milk and lemon juice until they vomited; and a tradition where they carry out pranks, which are now required to be registered and approved by the school, a policy that the students believe took the fun out of the activity.
Ludowyke says that these social events were mainly changed due to complaints from female staff members and guests. The students have become sexist and misogynistic when talking about the strip show.
The headmaster also says that the students do not clean up after participating in the Milk Run, which they have been tasked to do so for the past two years. Instead, the staff are left with no choice but to clean the filth afterwards.
Moreover, Ludowyke cited the locker room mentality that must be eliminated from the students. He said, “Several times across the course of this year, we have seen the consequences played out in the media of football clubs, board rooms and schools where a locker room mentality has been allowed to flourish unchallenged. It is the responsibility of all men to redress this uncomfortable truth about our own culture.”
Qin argues that the school fails to realize that they are just teenagers and they stopped becoming gentlemen when society changed.
He adds, “Don’t we give back our intellect and our academic ability? Don’t we give back our physical, artistic and musical talents? We thought this was valuable. Don’t we, every year, give back in leadership, student representation? Don’t our parents pay? Don’t they donate yearly to the school? The school raised nearly $4.5 million in donations, fees and other private sources in 2014.”
The student’s speech received a standing ovation. Still, Qin says that Melbourne High is a good school.
Online Source: Aussie Network News.
