Girls missing out again

[FedUpOfAllThisBollocks]

DD applied for a Head Girl position at the end of term and all candidates were emailed wi5h the results a few nights ago.

2 boys appointed as Head Boys, out of the girl candidates, 4 were chosen as prefects.

Apparently, a pupil complained that the Head Boy Head Girl label was discriminatory against pupils who didn't identify as such. But, it's the girls who miss out yet again, isn't it. DD's Instagram group is filled with messages of "see, boys are superior" and the old shit starts up again.

Fed up of all this shit affecting our daughters. Out of the candidates that were female were some pretty outstanding characters so I have absolutely idea why this decision has been allowed. Apparently, it was a student vote but moderated by staff.

DD is in a big standard mixed comprehensive school in a bog standard type town.

Any advice before I tackle this?

Looking at it from a slightly different angle:

are there girls in the school? Yes

do they deserve representation? Yes

is a boy best placed to represent girls’ interests? No, because girls may have different concerns (period bins, gender neutral toilets, not being allowed to participate in a certain sport for example)

is it good to see ourselves reflected in positions of power? Yes and particularly so for girls who have a Socialised tendency to “support”. Teach them they can lead too.

is it damaging not to be so reflected and to seen as inferior? Yes.

for the above reasons, if you are going to have Head pupils, there should be a head girl (one born female btw) as well as a head boy.

I would say that the boy who is indulging in the sexist ‘banter’ about inferiority is clearly demonstrating his unsuitability for the role, and should not even be a prefect, @FedUpOfAllThisBollocks.

I hope that you can get the school to see sense.

It was so much easier back in the 90s when you didn't have all this houses/prefects/head pupil bollocks.

Great post

There was 'houses/prefects/head pupil bollocks' when I went to school, way back in the 60s. Don't know how widespread it is these days, was commonplace then (State school).

My school in the '80s, and with my sister into the early '90s too.

Well that should rule them out as "head boys". Shows a lack of character.

I would be screenshoting this and making a complaint they are not appropriate for the role.

How did you get on?

A hard argument to pursue in a country that had Boris Johnson as it's head boy, maybe ?

maybe that's why they were chosen as head boys ?

@SerendipityJane good point.

Head boy at my school turned out to be a rapist

You mean they wanted to be a policeman ?

Where is it?

On the non app version it is under the 3 dots.
Not sure it is on the app versions yet.

We did - we didn't have prefects but we did have head and deputy headgirls. Our "brother" school had both headboys and prefects.

I think we elected our headgirls but the teachers had a veto (and did try to veto one girl because she was a Goth, but she was a deputy - not sure if she'd actually won the vote for headgirl).

I was glad we didn't have prefects, I always saw it as legalised bullying.

YANBU

so to be “inclusive” to the tiny proportion of trans and NB students 50% of the students get shat on.

same as the Brit awards best artist debacle

bloody twats

.

Gah! My post vanished!
In short, I wrote a letter to ask for clarity on their voting process and clarity as to the decision that was made. Sent it to their Head of Year AND to the SLT and.....

...it's been ignored. Not even a response.

Have had a family bereavement so this took a back seat, but I'm doubly angry at my ignored questions. Thinking of contacting the Governors.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I'd like to send them a strongly worded email now but everything I write sounds a but lame.

Look up the complaints procedure. Either send an email to the people you sent before, asking why your concerns haven’t been addressed OR then crack on with the complaints flow-chart. I would take care on how you word the complaint if you think your daughter will be penalised in anyway. Make sure it is coming from you.

Fear not - they will be realising they have made themselves look stupid. But you calling them out on it will make them feel defensive. Make sure you mention the comments about inferiority because that is a way they can tackle this without their naivety exposed. And that you are confident this will be dealt with without prejudice on your daughter. She has shown maturity showing the messages to you. It is you taking it forward.

By the way, head girl and head boy titles matter far less than doing extras that are related to the subject you want to study. To be honest, they take you out of lessons at A Level to do the dining/wining stuff that can be a hindrance.

Local press?

Same here in the school I attended and in the schools I worked in. It is preposterous nonsense not to have a Head Girl. As for the Head Boy sending nasty messages, he should.be demoted and disciplined.