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THE principal of one of Perth's most exclusive schools has summoned parents to a meeting "of critical importance" following reports of booze-fuelled public sex romps, weekend drug binges and boys employing a stripper whose act involves the use of vegetables.
"Recent events have prompted a number of parents to approach me about initiating a discussion among parents due to the seriousness of some of the activities that have occurred," Scotch College headmaster Reverend Andrew Syme wrote in a letter sent this week to the parents of each Year 11 boy.
"Unfortunately, this year I have heard stories of boys lying to parents about the social events that are occurring; of parents' houses being trashed; alcohol and drugs being accessed; of gangs (from beyond the school) attacking boys; and of sexual behaviour that would be of concern to all parents."
Although better would have been expected from boys whose parents face annual day-pupil fees of about $13,000, "money never has and never will equate to wisdom," Mr Syme said.
And in a move reflecting social issues such as alcohol abuse, drug-taking and sexual promiscuity, he also plans to convene a meeting of fellow principals to discuss what measures could be taken to rein in students whose actions reflected badly on schools.
"We are getting into territory that is not strictly the province of schools, but we know it does wash back on us," he said.
Mr Syme, the father of two adult sons, acknowledged as ambitious his vision of reforming the culture in which privileged teenagers get their kicks.
But he said it was time for him and other private school principals to examine why bouncers had become essential at teen parties in Perth's leafy western suburbs.
Action was also needed to prevent students from gorging on drugs and alcohol and engaging in inappropriate sexual behaviour, he said.
Mr Syme was prompted to take action following reports of out-of-control weekend parties and a student rugby wind-up involving a vegetable-wielding stripper.
Text massaging was largely to blame for attracting swarms of teens to grand homes in some of Perth's most expensive suburbs for under-age parties, where students from a number of schools took illicit drugs and engaged in "inappropriate sexual behaviour in parks and other public places", he said.
While some principals might prefer not to know what their students got up to after hours, Mr Syme used informants to identify the 17-year-olds who organised the stripper for an informal rugby wind-up last term.
"I was pretty angry," he said yesterday. "What is most upsetting is actually not the stripper, it is that things are going on without the knowledge of the parents.
"I said to the boys: 'I know why you didn't tell anyone but if you have to sneak around the place and do things behind people's backs that is a symbol of a lack of integrity and of dishonesty'."
Mr Syme said that he had become "increasingly troubled" by the behaviour of some of the students at Scotch, a school whose old boys include Australia's ambassador to China at the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre, David Sadlier, judge Geoffrey Kennedy, golfer Terry Gale and former AFL star and Brownlow medallist Ross Glendinning.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20617377-2,00.html
Jeez - thats a bit of a stretch to find famous old boys?! They may as well drop Burgs and Flamethrowers names...a school whose old boys include Australia's ambassador to China at the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre, David Sadlier, judge Geoffrey Kennedy, golfer Terry Gale and former AFL star and Brownlow medallist Ross Glendinning.
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
Boys will be boys...
Gotta find the real stories from some "contacts" i have. Apart from the use of illicit drugs, i can't see anything out of the ordinary teenage behaviour. Media is probably blowing things out of proportion a little as usual.
Must be a lack of ethics there...wonder where that starts from?
Something similar happened at St Eddies here a few years ago, the principle went and suspended every Year 11 student for a few days and they had big P&C meetings and then things settled down again.
Scotch... I'm ok with the parties and stuff; but abusing the fun and taking drugs etc...just stupid....It is not only Scotch...
Every forwards dream is to become a back...
where was my invite to the rugby party with the stripper? damn![]()
We couldn't afford strippers in my day![]()
The little buggers must have too much money![]()
How about Wobber? They left him off that list![]()
Posted via space
Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
???? Does Wobber strip too? Between the Force, leading tours to France and stripping the poor bugger must be worked to death.
Originally Posted by Evie
Eddies was because they trashed their common room and blew up the microwave. I think they did something to a science lab to but I cant remember.
I gotta get me a new phone!Originally Posted by Moses
I think it would have taken a great deal of intestinal fortitude for Rev Syme to bring this to the critical public eye, as Shaun says, it aint just at Scotch.
As an Old Boy, I applaude his public action and support his stand.
We used to get away with a bit "back in my day" but it is way out of hand now and kids are getting too many rights (and too much money) without enough responsabilities at too young an age.
Bloody hell, enjoy being young while you can![]()
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
I have applied for my son to join Scotch College but I have had my doubts about the place. Following reading this article my wife and I have had a serious discussion about his future schooling and I have won the debate........He's definitely going now!
Just happy to be here
and sum people are suprised about underage drinking..... what do they expect at a rugby afters? for them to drink water??? and thers always one dickhead that uses drugs, and from there it rolls on. The only thing that is surprising is that... they were tehat desperate that they hired a stripper. Another with the txting.. it takes one person to txt a m8 about the party, and you can have 50 people gate crashing(this was the case at wesley's rowing afters) Parents are surprised by there behaviours... well they realy need have a think .. give a boy money... a empty house... and you hav a party....
What happend to my post![]()
Unfortunately some parents are very naive, the normal teenage behavior may not be the same as their vision of a normal teenage behaviour. The upper-class kids in Perth are sometimes more rebelous (spelling?) than other kids, because, a) their parents lay upon different expectations and the kids like to rebel against them b) they have more money at their disposal so experimenting with more expensive, harsher drugs (other than alcohol and cannibus) is more pheasable.
That article doesn't surprise me one bit.