St mary's
As those of you who have been playing along at home for any length of time will know, I really really did not enjoy my highschool experience. Whilst I gather that disliking highschool is fairly standard, even the rose coloured glasses of hind-sight and nostalgia have not particularly endeared my former educational institution to me. Whilst I can appreciate certain things about highschool (the amazing friends I made, the opportunities it afforded me, how good it looks on my resume/C.V - I have gotten jobs solely based on the fact that I attended that school, which when you think about it is totally ridiculous) on the whole I have always felt that my alma mater is an uptight stuffy institution more concerned with itself as a business than itself as a place to nurture and encourage young girls.
The school I attended from years 6 - 12/final year is St Mary's Anglican Girls' School - a reasonably prestigious private all girls' school that consistently ranks very highly in those little scoreboard things the education department has for academic achievement. As an Anglican school, there is a very definite religious backbone to the ethos, culture and structure of the school and the curriculum (for example we had one compulsory 'chapel' period per week, and one compulsory period of religious education). As a private school with shining, spotless reputation to uphold, the school is far more concerned with its image as an institution than with the happiness and well being of individual students or, as it turns out, staff members.
I have always been aware of this aspect of St. Mary's, though many of my friends seemed less convinced of it as they did not butt up against it repeatedly during their years as students. In example, when I was in my final year of school and suffering some pretty major problems (my aunt had just passed away after a long and pretty brutal battle with cancer, my mother was an alcoholic and I was dealing with a lot of stress and had just been medicated for clinical depression and bipolar mood disorder) the headmistress, Lynne Thompson, told my mother that perhaps I should 'consider another school' since St. Mary's didn't seem to be the 'right fit' for me.
It would be one thing for a head teacher to suggest that to the parent of a troubled child in 8th, 9th, 10th...even 11th grade - but in their final year of school? To me, that just says 'sorry, this student is too hard, we'd like her to go away'. Certainly not in line with the fantastic pastoral care program they claim to have.
In a similar vain (though this turned out to be very beneficial for me) the rules were bent drastically in order for me to complete my final year of school and graduate (I did far, far less coursework than I technically should have). However I hold no illusions that this was done for my benefit: it was done so that St. Mary's could retain their perfect graduation rate. For similar reasons, students who really were 'bad seeds' - who were bullies, thieves, psychologically and physically violent towards other students and staff were rarely if ever expelled because the school did not want to have the weight of that expulsion tarnishing the perfect image of it, as an institution, as its students.
Now, I've known all this for a long time, but just recently I have been made aware of something that has, if possible, lowered my old school even further in my opinion. I am frankly disgusted by what has just recently transpired.
Last term, the headmistress of the school, Lynne Thompson, called a meeting with the school chaplain, Reverend Julie Leaves.
'Rev. Julie' as we all know/knew her has been a part of the school community for over ten years. As the school chaplain she provided the 'spiritual backbone' of the school, taking chapel services and occasionally teaching religious education. What stood out for me, in my years at St. Mary's, is how relaxed, non-dogmatic and open-minded Reverend Julie was. Whilst she maintained a Christian ethos and is, I believe, herself an Anglican, she never made students who were not religious, or who were from a different religious background feel alienated or uncomfortable. Even in chapel, she did her best to make everyone feel comfortable with - and even enjoy - the service, often playing popular music ('Sorry' by Tracey Chapman was a favorite...ha) along with traditional Anglican hymns, leading guided relaxation/meditation, and encouraging student participation. In her religious education classes she tried her best to make the sessions comparative and welcomed input from students of different religious backgrounds (as I recall she even let some of us ramble about wicca when we were going through our 'pagan' phase).
In addition, Rev. Julie was one of the warmest, most approachable, friendly, honest, down to earth people you could ever hope to meet. On more than one occasion she let me sit in her office and talked over my problems and issues with me, often sharing her own struggles as a teenager which made me feel less lonely and like my problems were valid but solvable. What I am trying to say is, Rev. Julie was rad. I can't think of a single student who disliked her or had a problem with her (save for her repeated playing of 'Sorry' by Tracey Chapman).
During the meeting between Mrs. Thompson and Reverend Julie, last term, Reverend Julie was told that she and the school were 'going in different directions' and that she would be 'allowed to finish out the term'.
This dismissal - baseless dismissal, to boot - came after 10 long years of loyal service.
I heard this from Rev. Julie myself, when I bumped into her a few weeks ago. It was them confirmed by a number of current St. Mary's students who said Mrs. Thompson had talked to each year group separately, in chapel, to advise that Reverend Julie would no longer be chaplain - again, she used the vague excuse that the school and Rev. Julie were 'going in different directions'.
Today Bee and I bumped into one of the school librarians who confirmed for a third time that no greater or more detailed reason was given to staff about Julie's dismissal. Again, Mrs. Thompson announced her dismissal at a staff meeting at the beginning of term, with a similarly ambiguous explanation.
I found this on the St. Mary's website earlier tonight:
Your daughters may have said to you that Reverend Julie is no longer the Chaplain at St Mary’s. I have spoken to many of them in Chapel to explain that I believed it was time for the school to go in a new direction. I will be seeking a new person to take on the role of Chaplain at St Mary’s, with the aim of further developing the spiritual leadership and life of the school. Reverend Julie has been with us for many years and, needless to say, we all wish her well in the next stage of her ministry.
I am absolutely livid about this. I can't even explain to you how livid. I would have thought this would almost qualify as unfair dismissal. My assessment of the situation, based on talking to various people about it, is that Rev. Julie was 'too different' for the school (or rather, for Mrs. Thompson) which seems to pride itself on being rigid, unmoving, and conservative.
I suspect that Julie may have been fired - because yes, essentially, she was fired - for having a more liberal spiritual approach than Mrs. Thompson would have liked. Perhaps Mrs. Thompson would prefer a rigidly Anglican minister who spouts doctrine and condemns alternate faiths. If so, I hope she is prepared to alienate a good chunk of the student body - those who identify as Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Atheist, Agnostic, Pagan, or even other branches of Christianity such as Evangelist, Catholic, Mormon, Methodist, Protestant...
I don't think this woman realises how much of a huge mistake she has made and it is my deep, sincere wish that some of the current students and parents write strongly worded letters expressing a similar sentiment to the one I have posed here, to Mrs. Thompson. Reverend Julie's greatest 'selling point', if you like - that which made her likable, approachable and valuable to most of us, as students - was her easy going, non-judgmental nature. We could relate to her.
The only other possible reason I can think of for Mrs. T firing her is that she has a nose piercing and several well hidden tattoos. I suspect she does not wear the nose-stud to school (I certainly don't recall it from my time there) and I wasn't even aware she had tattoos until the other day - one is on her shoulder, one on her leg, therefore both well and truly covered by her priestly robes, or whatever.
I'd like to say that even Mrs. T wouldn't be so shallow as to fire a staff member for the choices they make, aesthetically, when they are not at school, but unfortunately I cannot afford her the benefit of the doubt on this one.
I know this rant was pretty much irrelevant to most of you and I doubt anyone will read it, but I'm just so incredibly angry.
If any of you have children and were or are thinking about sending them to St. Mary's - DON'T!
Seriously.
The school I attended from years 6 - 12/final year is St Mary's Anglican Girls' School - a reasonably prestigious private all girls' school that consistently ranks very highly in those little scoreboard things the education department has for academic achievement. As an Anglican school, there is a very definite religious backbone to the ethos, culture and structure of the school and the curriculum (for example we had one compulsory 'chapel' period per week, and one compulsory period of religious education). As a private school with shining, spotless reputation to uphold, the school is far more concerned with its image as an institution than with the happiness and well being of individual students or, as it turns out, staff members.
I have always been aware of this aspect of St. Mary's, though many of my friends seemed less convinced of it as they did not butt up against it repeatedly during their years as students. In example, when I was in my final year of school and suffering some pretty major problems (my aunt had just passed away after a long and pretty brutal battle with cancer, my mother was an alcoholic and I was dealing with a lot of stress and had just been medicated for clinical depression and bipolar mood disorder) the headmistress, Lynne Thompson, told my mother that perhaps I should 'consider another school' since St. Mary's didn't seem to be the 'right fit' for me.
It would be one thing for a head teacher to suggest that to the parent of a troubled child in 8th, 9th, 10th...even 11th grade - but in their final year of school? To me, that just says 'sorry, this student is too hard, we'd like her to go away'. Certainly not in line with the fantastic pastoral care program they claim to have.
In a similar vain (though this turned out to be very beneficial for me) the rules were bent drastically in order for me to complete my final year of school and graduate (I did far, far less coursework than I technically should have). However I hold no illusions that this was done for my benefit: it was done so that St. Mary's could retain their perfect graduation rate. For similar reasons, students who really were 'bad seeds' - who were bullies, thieves, psychologically and physically violent towards other students and staff were rarely if ever expelled because the school did not want to have the weight of that expulsion tarnishing the perfect image of it, as an institution, as its students.
Now, I've known all this for a long time, but just recently I have been made aware of something that has, if possible, lowered my old school even further in my opinion. I am frankly disgusted by what has just recently transpired.
Last term, the headmistress of the school, Lynne Thompson, called a meeting with the school chaplain, Reverend Julie Leaves.
'Rev. Julie' as we all know/knew her has been a part of the school community for over ten years. As the school chaplain she provided the 'spiritual backbone' of the school, taking chapel services and occasionally teaching religious education. What stood out for me, in my years at St. Mary's, is how relaxed, non-dogmatic and open-minded Reverend Julie was. Whilst she maintained a Christian ethos and is, I believe, herself an Anglican, she never made students who were not religious, or who were from a different religious background feel alienated or uncomfortable. Even in chapel, she did her best to make everyone feel comfortable with - and even enjoy - the service, often playing popular music ('Sorry' by Tracey Chapman was a favorite...ha) along with traditional Anglican hymns, leading guided relaxation/meditation, and encouraging student participation. In her religious education classes she tried her best to make the sessions comparative and welcomed input from students of different religious backgrounds (as I recall she even let some of us ramble about wicca when we were going through our 'pagan' phase).
In addition, Rev. Julie was one of the warmest, most approachable, friendly, honest, down to earth people you could ever hope to meet. On more than one occasion she let me sit in her office and talked over my problems and issues with me, often sharing her own struggles as a teenager which made me feel less lonely and like my problems were valid but solvable. What I am trying to say is, Rev. Julie was rad. I can't think of a single student who disliked her or had a problem with her (save for her repeated playing of 'Sorry' by Tracey Chapman).
During the meeting between Mrs. Thompson and Reverend Julie, last term, Reverend Julie was told that she and the school were 'going in different directions' and that she would be 'allowed to finish out the term'.
This dismissal - baseless dismissal, to boot - came after 10 long years of loyal service.
I heard this from Rev. Julie myself, when I bumped into her a few weeks ago. It was them confirmed by a number of current St. Mary's students who said Mrs. Thompson had talked to each year group separately, in chapel, to advise that Reverend Julie would no longer be chaplain - again, she used the vague excuse that the school and Rev. Julie were 'going in different directions'.
Today Bee and I bumped into one of the school librarians who confirmed for a third time that no greater or more detailed reason was given to staff about Julie's dismissal. Again, Mrs. Thompson announced her dismissal at a staff meeting at the beginning of term, with a similarly ambiguous explanation.
I found this on the St. Mary's website earlier tonight:
Your daughters may have said to you that Reverend Julie is no longer the Chaplain at St Mary’s. I have spoken to many of them in Chapel to explain that I believed it was time for the school to go in a new direction. I will be seeking a new person to take on the role of Chaplain at St Mary’s, with the aim of further developing the spiritual leadership and life of the school. Reverend Julie has been with us for many years and, needless to say, we all wish her well in the next stage of her ministry.
I am absolutely livid about this. I can't even explain to you how livid. I would have thought this would almost qualify as unfair dismissal. My assessment of the situation, based on talking to various people about it, is that Rev. Julie was 'too different' for the school (or rather, for Mrs. Thompson) which seems to pride itself on being rigid, unmoving, and conservative.
I suspect that Julie may have been fired - because yes, essentially, she was fired - for having a more liberal spiritual approach than Mrs. Thompson would have liked. Perhaps Mrs. Thompson would prefer a rigidly Anglican minister who spouts doctrine and condemns alternate faiths. If so, I hope she is prepared to alienate a good chunk of the student body - those who identify as Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Atheist, Agnostic, Pagan, or even other branches of Christianity such as Evangelist, Catholic, Mormon, Methodist, Protestant...
I don't think this woman realises how much of a huge mistake she has made and it is my deep, sincere wish that some of the current students and parents write strongly worded letters expressing a similar sentiment to the one I have posed here, to Mrs. Thompson. Reverend Julie's greatest 'selling point', if you like - that which made her likable, approachable and valuable to most of us, as students - was her easy going, non-judgmental nature. We could relate to her.
The only other possible reason I can think of for Mrs. T firing her is that she has a nose piercing and several well hidden tattoos. I suspect she does not wear the nose-stud to school (I certainly don't recall it from my time there) and I wasn't even aware she had tattoos until the other day - one is on her shoulder, one on her leg, therefore both well and truly covered by her priestly robes, or whatever.
I'd like to say that even Mrs. T wouldn't be so shallow as to fire a staff member for the choices they make, aesthetically, when they are not at school, but unfortunately I cannot afford her the benefit of the doubt on this one.
I know this rant was pretty much irrelevant to most of you and I doubt anyone will read it, but I'm just so incredibly angry.
If any of you have children and were or are thinking about sending them to St. Mary's - DON'T!
Seriously.