Monthly Archives: October 2012

Dr Amanda Bell, Principal Yesterday, the Prime Minister launched the International Day of the Girl Child in Australia. In her speech she commented that for most Australian girls they are faced with remarkable opportunities, which is in stark contrast to girls in other countries who are not so fortunate: Like the girl forced to work at home and watch her brother go off to school. The girl forcibly married to someone she doesn't know before she has even come of age. Or the young woman who dwells in daily fear of violence from those closest to her. (Gillard, 2012) Young women, including some Grammar girls, often cite a lack of identification with feminism and that leaves those of us who recall the 1970s and the achievements of the Women’s Liberation Movement somewhat despondent.  Feminism with its concern for gender equality and human rights is still very relevant today — both here in Australia and world-wide. When…

Mrs Karen Belbin, School Counsellor Adolescents love to disagree. They love to challenge ideas, beliefs, authority, conventions, and 'rules', especially adult and society rules. There is a good reason for this: dissent, arguing, talking, challenging and questioning are some of the tools adolescents use with friends, family and teachers, to learn more about themselves and others; establish their identity; understand the world they live in; and find their own particular place in society.  Without dissent, human beings and society wouldn’t grow or change, create or innovate, but dissent can be difficult, especially – and unsurprisingly – to those whose ideas or beliefs are being challenged. It is important to distinguish between the judicious use of dissent, and the more recent trend to use social media to heckle, ridicule, intimidate, judge, berate and treat others disrespectfully - which is not in any way courageous, admirable or an attempt to find meaning or truth. The focus of this article is not about such cowardly behaviour –…