Aussie School Issues Statement After Making Boys Apologise For ‘Behaviours Of Their Gender’

An Australian school has been forced to apologise for an exercise that aimed to get students to understand issues with gender.

Warrnambool secondary school Brauer College in Victoria got male pupils to stand up during assembly 'as a symbolic gesture of apology for the behaviours of their gender'.

While it was designed to just be a simple, quick and poignant message about gender issues in Australia, it wasn't long before the exercise got back to parents.

According to the ABC, some mums and dads reported their kids finding the exercise 'confronting'.

After all the backlash, the principal at Brauer College has apologised.

Jane Boyle has issued a statement, saying: "In retrospect, while well-intended, we recognise that part of the assembly was inappropriate.

"Schools play an important role in the promotion of safety and respect of all students, and discussions in schools around respect towards women and girls are a key part of this work," Ms Boyle said.

"This week, at a whole school assembly, Brauer College discussed the topic of respect for women and the importance of bystander behaviour and speaking up to report incidents of inappropriate behaviour."

Students at Brauer were also shown a speech from the head boy at different school in Brisbane, which went viral for his message about men needing to be a part of the solution rather than just sit there and hope the issues pertaining to women of Australia go away.

Mason Black addressed his peers at Brisbane Boys' College (BBC) and told them they need to start being a part of the solution.

"If you have ever objectified a woman based on her looks, talked about females in a misogynistic way, or taken advantage without consent, you are part of the problem," he said.

"Seemingly harmless comments can have such devastating effects.

"Boys, don't allow yourself to slip into complacent denial by disregarding the seriousness of this issue."

He was inspired to speak after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins came forward with the sexual abuse she allegedly suffered in a minister's office at Parliament.

Ms Higgins' claim sparked a national conversation as well as a nationwide rally to call for an end to misogyny and toxic work environments.

It also came off the back of an online petition being launched to call for consent to be taught earlier at schools around the country.

The campaign saw thousands of women and girls come forward with allegations of abuse, assault, and inappropriate behaviour. One woman alleged she was raped by a student who went to Brisbane Boys' College.

Mason Black said he felt sick to hear a former BBC student allegedly attack a woman and he wanted his speech to help enact change.

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie