Academy going "Gender Neutral" for Head Boy/Girl

[GrimDamnFanjo]

It looks like the School where I'm a Governor is moving to make these leadership roles no longer boy/girl and instead appointing the "best students for the role' regardless of sex.
From a very brief exchange with the Trust Chair, she's in favour of this.
If I knew one would be "open" and the other reserved for a female student I could live with this.
But I don't think that's going to be the case - I'm fuming.

I agree OP. But I think they will still pick one boy and one girl? At least I hope so or the parents will be going off on one!

I'm also a governor. My school did this 2 years ago because there were
many more female applicants than male. The same has been true in the subsequent yeasrs so instead of 2 boys and 2 girls, they have had 1 boy and 3 girls with a girl being tbt head prefect each time.

Imo you'd be better off investigating and addressing why the role attracts more girls than boys than just giving in to the fact girls will do the job.

There are a number of reasons boys might not be putting themselves forward. The role might have many responsibilities, in which case either the whole school acceptance of boys attitudes needs addressing or the load needs to be lightened by creating more posts or streamlining duties. It could be that there's a stigma attached to the role, again will need wholeschool work on. Lack of confidence, lack of community spirit. All need to be directly addressed rather than just sighing and resigning to the girls doing all the roles donkey work

What are they planning on calling these roles?

Head Person 1 and Head Person 2?

What is definied as 'best for the job'. I mean, I hate the Head Boy/Girl thing as it is always the same kinds of kids that win that popularity contest but how is the decision made and who makes it? What does that entitle the Head Person to do? Why not just get rid of it altogether? I just makes people who think they will never be best at anything feel like shit.

I can't speak about the role historically but in the the last two decades head boy and head girl are not empty roles. They have duties that they need a bit of natural aptitude for as well as training and to give up their own time. Leading child led assemblies, helping set up physical events like Science fair, open day, sports day. They are the representatives that show visitors around the school, lead road safety initiatives by example etc. Most good schools will use a dual system of peers and staff in the selection process, which is a useful behaviour management role in lower years and helps filter out those unsuitable for the role.
Where this has go e wrong or the position is devalued is usually where the whole school culture is a problem, or where the actual role has evolved to something with more cons than pros or vice versa. It should be a balance between responsibilities and experiences.

When schools do this the trend usually shows they end up with majority female head pupils.

You can argue that at such an informative stage of life, both male and female pupils should benefit equally from opportunities like head pupil.

I imagine that is because the roles require a lot of giving up your time, helping others etc.
It's not a 'power for the sake of power' role. So if boys are taught to be entitled and that they don't have to give anything back, they will of course not be interested.

It's why a boy and girl role are vital, so male children can have a positive role model to look up to who gives back.

I think vested interests of student bodies should be represented though this is maybe better done through a student council. The whole head boy / girl is frankly archaic and should be scrapped.

Student councils are usually run by the head boy and girl. The reason for this is because they are picked as people who can cope with the demands the role requires, IE. Excellent people skills. This is usually done in their time, after school, lunchtimes so I don't think it is right to deny children a badge and a title in recognition of their hard work.

You've clearly never worked in education because small children absolutely cannot run themselves without guidance. That is the whole point of head boy and head girl. It's a good opportunity for the head boy and head girl to lead and provide opportunities for younger children/different positions to get their voices heard and experiences.

Better would be to have one "Head Pupil", then it's either a boy or a girl, depending on who the electorate vote for. Everyone else can be "prefects".

@Justkeeppedaling

Better would be to have one "Head Pupil", then it's either a boy or a girl, depending on who the electorate vote for. Everyone else can be "prefects".

Where's the advantage in that? One person has to do the job of two people? One sex isn't represented for a year? Believe me, it's good to have a girl's voice as not only do their needs get overlooked, but sometimes clash with the boys'. Anyone who has overseen space at recreation times will tell you the problems with boys marking out all available space as their territories.

And, as said previously, schools with good systems have a number of roles which work with the head boy and girl position to make school better for everyone. School representative, perfects, play leaders, eco squad, sports reporters. The head boy and girl job is to act as mentor and facilitators to all the projects mentioned. It's a big enough role for two people, so as far as I can see there'd be no advantage to cutting back to one.

Yes, in my school there used to be head boy, head girl, deputies, then house captains, four houses and a boy and girl captain of each and a deputy..... 20 officer roles altogether equally divided between boys and girls.

But again, it was mostly girls applying. So you would get the pick of 60 girls for the 10 roles available and only a dozen boys applying for their roles.

It has now changed to a team of 'head pupils' (a dreadful title) and all the houses have 5 house captain roles instead of two, that's a house captain for each year in the lower school.

Overwhelmingly, the house captains are girls.

This actually does seem to benefit girls in my school as more roles have opened up for those that want them.

It is the one bright spot in an otherwise depressing rainbow washing of student roles. They are OBSESSED with 'diversity', but when I ask what their plans are its ALWAYS one type of diversity.... Never celebrating Ramadan, or holding our own paralympic events..... No, let's make Pride week a WHOLE MONTH.....

The thing is, if it's only girls applying then you need to look at the wider implications of that. Why is it? Why aren't boys expected to do roles of responsibility, any community work, volunteer their time and experience.

Excusing boys sounds a bit, boys will be boys to me.

You've clearly never worked in education because small children absolutely cannot run themselves without guidance.

Why are people on here so judgemental and holier than thou? Seriously. We all have life experiences including coming through the school system and having kids that have come through the school system. Since when was representation best served by "management" choosing who represents you? Have elections at least and it establishes a mandate

We do have elections. They're part of a robust process with teacher input and presentations.

Everyone who went to school thinks they're an expert, particularly those who have a chip on their shoulder.

Perhaps I come across as Holier than Thou, because I know that there's a lot of work that goes into structuring a school and people like you, never have any suggestions, other than rip out systems. Do you have an actual system you'd like to propose or what?

Some of the issues that head boy and girl deals with are:

Opportunity for children to take on extra responsibility.
Opportunity for pupils to have peers who lead by example.
Organising of events
Streamlining of pupil groups and goals
Collecting pupil voice
Raising awareness of key issues and ideas for change. Or road safety, anti bullying.
Practical boring jobs, tidying, moving equipment.
Charity events running.

The badge is part of the pros to entice children to do the role. I wouldn't expect many would go for it without it, as it's a lot of work.

I was head girl at school by virtue of being the only girl in the sixth form. I'm quite certain I wasn't the 1st or 2nd best candidate and if I was, it would have been far better to know that than to get the job because I was female.

Why are you assuming they won't appoint 2 girls?

I'm not. I don't think the boys are well served by having two girls though.
Head boys usually have good values, behaviour, work ethic etc. It's good for boys to have positive role models.

It's also good for both the head boy and head girl to work with eachother as equals.

We’re in Australia and they’re called School Captain and Vice Captain here. We still have one boy and one girl though! Plus we have House Captains and although in theory they could be the same sex, they aren’t, each house gets one boy and one girl.