The Newington College old guard is resisting co-education, but you have to wonder when adults’ identity is so tied to their six years as teenagers.
It’s not often you get such a frank admission. But the old boys of Sydney’s Newington College – the latest blue-ribbon male institution facing a backlash over its plans to go co-ed – have made no attempt to hide the truth.
But the school has pressed ahead with its plans to welcome girls, against splutters of outrage from the old guard of the old boys.A Dad’s Army in old school ties, the old boys have marshalled their forces to form a lobby called the Save Newington Group, with the objective to stop the move to co-ed. They have protested with placards outside the school.
This is true – but it has less to do with an ideological agenda than with market demand. Increasing numbers of parents wish their boys to go to co-educational high schools, perhaps put off by the reputation for so-called toxic masculinity that clings to some of these boys’ schools, rightly or wrongly. This reputation was obliquely acknowledged by the headmaster of Kings in a recent newsletter.
It is hard not to raise a cynical eyebrow when someone declares the only thinkable options for boys’ education are Newington, Kings or Joey’s . I have a great affection for my alma mater, but if they wanted to start enrolling cats next year, I wouldn’t consider it any of my business, largely because I believe in freedom.
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