There have been many articles in the media over the last few weeks regarding the behaviour of Year 12 students at their ‘Schoolies’ or ‘Leavers’ celebrations, and several relating to ‘Muck Up’ final day activities. Sadly, few have been positive or uplifting.
Is this possibly the students’ over-exuberant release of pent-up frustrations following two years of COVID-19 disruptions and isolation, or is it a cultural shift that we have been ignoring?
‘Schoolies’ or ‘Leavers’ Celebrations
For many years now, apparently starting in Brisbane in the late 1970s, the week following the completion of the end of school examinations and other formal school events such as graduation or valedictory celebrations has been followed by ‘Schoolies’ or ‘Leavers’ week events. This is when Year 12 graduates or leavers usually pack up and head off to join their fellow students from other schools and colleges to celebrate their newfound freedom for a week with no school, no parents and, for some, no rules. The behaviour of ex-students during these weeks has been reported in the media for many years, as can be seen in this ABC article from 2013.
As a parent of two young men, my sons also took the opportunity to ‘let their hair down’ and relax with friends on what they all now consider to be a traditional rite (right) of passage. However, that was over 16 years ago. Heading down south with a few mates to stay in tents at a caravan park or to hire some form of accommodation to share this time and party with their mates, as my sons did, seems to have morphed into something a little more sinister as can be noted from this article in The West Australian about a scavenger hunt challenge that occurred as part of ‘Schoolies’ type celebrations. The article reports that students from two Western Australian schools took part in a number of ‘challenges’ for points on social media. Some of the challenges included urinating from public buildings, bathing naked in a public fountain and several other activities noted as being “inappropriate” and potentially illegal behaviour. The Department of Education Deputy Director-General, Melesha Sands is quoted as saying:
“The end of Year 12 is a symbolic life event which should be celebrated, however, inappropriate or illegal behaviour is not acceptable and never tolerated. As part of normal end-of-year processes, secondary schools communicate information and expectations to their students about appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, including consequences such as not being able to attend graduation ceremonies.”
It is also important to note that we are not singling out Western Australian government schools or Western Australian schools in general. There are numerous media reports in most states and territories that have outlined instances of inappropriate behaviour - and the ex-students involved have been identified as having attended government and non-government schools. It is also not specifically male or female behaviour, as noted in this article from The Gold Coast Bulletin.
Of course, I expect that some schools would argue that what happens at ‘Schoolies’ or ‘Leavers’ week celebrations takes place after the students have left school and that therefore the schools cannot, or should not, be held responsible. I would agree that this is a consideration. However, I would also argue that the parents and the students, many of whom are 18 years old, should also be held accountable.
Seeing reports of this type of behaviour in recent years across the full gamut of schools across all states and territories has made me reflect on this question. How much of each school’s culture, school values, the home values or even the community values and norms were truly inculcated into these students so as to inform their perceptions of what is acceptable in our community when they went out to celebrate what they seem to believe is their ‘right’ (rite) of passage?
What did the schools do beforehand to remind the students of not just their rights and responsibilities, but also about their accountability as young adults? Were there discussions about end of year in-school activities and what was or was not going to be tolerated? According to the earlier quote, this did in fact happen in the schools identified by the West Australian. Sadly, some students chose to disregard this advice and they have brought discredit on themselves.
‘Muck- Up’ Day
‘Muck Up’ day is often regarded as the last day that the Year 12s spend in their school. Students engage in antics that range from draping a building in toilet paper to borderline vandalism.
On a recent Year 12 Muck Up Day at a non-government school, six male students arrived dressed in traditional Arabic garb, armed with water pistols so as to be identified as ‘terrorists’. They were allowed to stay dressed in that manner for the duration of the event. To make matters worse “7NEWS.com.au understands that the students received ‘best dressed’ awards for their costumes on the day.”
The principal advised that the incident did not represent the school’s values and a public apology was given. I can almost guarantee that at that school from now on there will be very clear parameters for students for future events and staff will also be reminded of what are or are not acceptable standards. Although the incident regrettably took place, the school is clearly not accepting this as an acceptable cultural norm or representation of their values.
Schools should think about the cost of this type of behaviour, both from a reputational damage point of view and from a cultural perspective. Reputational damage is most definitely a strategic risk and one that may have far-reaching effects on a school’s ongoing enrolments and parent/student satisfaction. However, the cultural damage within the student population, remembering that in a K(PP)-Year 12 school there are 14 student year groups, could be equally devastating and ongoing.
The graduating class of 2022 will look at what the school accepted or tolerated from the graduating class of 2021 and previous year 12 groups, and they will want to build on this or, at the very least, replicate it. Most schools have developed their own traditions that showcase the success of these students after completing 14 years of schooling e.g. graduation ceremonies. They celebrate that these young adults are now ready to embark on their new post-school destinations by seeking to make the end of Year 12 at the school as special as possible. How much better would it be if the ‘muck up’ days could be an extension of this rather than a day that counters everything that the school and families have tried to teach the students over the past 14 years? What type of rite of passage do you want your graduates to experience?
As I have noted a few times, some students who engage in completely inappropriate activities, see this as their RIGHT of passage. They have finished school, they are now free, they have a right to let off steam, they have a right to enjoy themselves and they have a right to engage in socially unacceptable behaviour to get ‘likes’ on social media. They also have the right to be identified, publicly shamed and, if need be, charged for some behaviours that are considered to be offences. Is this the RITE of passage that we want for our valedictorians?
Each school sets its own standards regarding what, if anything, it will tolerate.
I am aware that many schools are offering alternative activities such as early morning breakfasts or student/parent morning teas or other collegiate and community-focused events so that the students do not consider that they have to then plan an event of their own or a series of pranks.
I have seen some truly wonderful end-of-year events for students, where they have been celebrated as the graduation class of that year. The students have donated gifts such as new school benches (buddy seats), trees or, as the graduating Class of 2021 at Wesley College did, they created indigenous ties to encourage reconciliation. Bravo gentlemen!
Where Can Schools Get Support?
There is a wealth of information available for schools who would like to be proactive in this space. Here are a few examples:
Conclusion
I know that schools do not encourage the types of anti-social, racist, misogynistic or offensive behaviour that we have seen highlighted in the media in recent weeks. I also know that they want their graduating Year 12s to be safe if they choose to participate in their traditional ‘Schoolies’ or ‘Leavers’ week and also enjoy it. But they also want them to do so in a manner that does not bring shame to themselves, their friends, their families and to their schools.
After all, if a school has invested up to 14 years in a student, the school will hope that it has sufficiently inculcated the culture and the values of the school (and those of the student’s family) so that the student is an individual who respects others and who wants to experience a positive rite of passage from childhood to adulthood.
