Online Editor Jackson Robb delves into the infamous decision to shift the all-boys private school Newington to co-ed, and what this decision could mean for the growing concerns of cases regarding consent in the secondary schooling sphere.
Content Warning: Mentions of Sexual Abuse and Rape
It was the controversy that dominated the headlines of Australian media in the early months of 2024, despite the worn-torn climate the world was currently enveloped in. It saw grown men crying in the streets and a social media outcry that was entirely unworthy of the issue it was representing. The issue? The decision of the elite all-boys Sydney private school, Newington College, to convert to co-ed in 2026.
Despite the decision being made by the college at the end of the school year in 2023, the story made headlines in January as a group of parents and former students rallied at the front gates of the college in protest of the new format [1]. Clips from the protest circulated on social media, including outrage and disapproval from the protestors and current students of Newington. One protestor described the ordeal as part of a “woke, toxic masculinity type palaver that will pass” whilst others took to the picket line with signs indicating they had lost trust in current school leadership, demanding transparency and accountability. However, the most notable clip was provided by Channel 9 who interviewed former student, Tony Retsos, as he became visibly emotional at the idea that a future grandson of his would be unable to attend Newington because of this controversy. Retsos states: “The intention was always that I would have a grandson, but I won’t send him to a co-ed school” [2].
In the college’s initial announcement, they outlined that the changes would begin taking place in 2026, with the aim for the 160-year-old school to become fully co-ed by 2033 [3]. The college also outlines the steps they took before arriving at the decision, including discussions with students, parents, teachers and alumni. Despite this, the protesters believed “opposing views weren’t properly considered” and the families of the current boys “are being sold a lie” [4]. The protests extended to a Change.org petition that received over 2500 signatures.
However, with current discussions in both the media and government surrounding growing consent concerns for students in Australia, could the change to Newington College help change the narrative around how young boys and girls interact during secondary education? Australian sexual health and consent activist, Chanel Contos, elaborates further on this issue, highlighting how single-sex schools uphold gender stereotypes and are one of the only practices in society that still segregate men from women in such an instance [5]. Contos helped pioneer this movement as she fought to introduce stronger consent laws after over 200 women submitted testimonials to her in 2021 about their experiences being sexually assaulted by boys from Sydney private boys’ schools after her own friend became a victim [6][7]. Some schools that were frequently referenced include Scots College, Waverley College and Cranbrook (who have also announced a co-ed move for 2026) and included both public and catholic schools. [8]
However, the disparities don’t stop there. Revelations also uncovered students would include acts of sexual humiliation and challenges in their muck-up day activities, whilst Melbourne’s St Kevins students took it a step further by chanting derogatory and sexist remarks on public transport in their signature green and yellow uniforms in 2019 [8]. From this assessment, another question emerges. Is it still safe to send boys and girls to the same schools with rape culture still ever-present? Professor Chris Hickey from Deakin University adds another perspective from working closely with all boys’ schools to assess their overall attitudes to gender equality. He quotes to SBS: “I don't think they're inherently bad, but I think they can be if you let it become toxic”, using St Kevin’s as an example of when toxic behaviour is left unchecked [9].
Whilst this issue suggests the culture of all boys’ schools is a direct result of the high levels of rape experienced by young female students, it cannot be solely attributed to these institutions. Professor Mary Louise Rasmussen from ANU supports this, stating the data of one in three women who have experienced sexual abuse cannot be confined to any particular sector [9]. However, Contos believes exposure to the opposite sex from a young age is the best way to eliminate rape culture, encouraging students to view each other as “friends rather than just sex objects” [9]. Could the “drastic” change to Newington actually be a step in the right direction for a bigger cause?
ENDNOTES
[1] - Kennedy, J. (2023, November 29). 150yo founding goal used in legal threat to stop private Sydney boys’ school from admitting girls. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-30/nsw-newington-college-co-ed-parents-legal-threat-boys-girls/103168862
[2] - Aidone, D. (2024, February 1). A single-sex school going co-ed: Is it really a “woke”, crying shame? SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/a-single-sex-school-going-co-ed-is-it-really-a-woke-crying-shame/qplznbtzn
[3] - McDonald, T. (2023, November 21). An update on behalf of the Council of Newington College – Newington College. Newington College. https://www.newington.nsw.edu.au/blog/2023/11/21/an-update-on-behalf-of-the-council-of-newington-college/
[4] - 9 News Australia. (2024, January 31). Parents “distraught” over private school’s decision to enrol girls . 9 News Australia. Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/85OG_ldBpRE?si=u5NVT-d9Lq1HBrYO
[5] - Elias, M. (2021, December 14). Would abolishing single-sex schools improve our understanding of consent? SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/article/would-abolishing-single-sex-schools-improve-our-understanding-of-consent/6k6f4mrli
[6] - Contos, C. (2021, March 14). “Do they even know they did this to us?”: why I launched the school sexual assault petition | Chanel Contos. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/15/do-they-even-know-they-did-this-to-us-why-i-launched-the-school-sexual-assault-petition
[7] - Chrysanthos, N. (2021a, February 19). Hundreds of Sydney students claim they were sexually assaulted. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/hundreds-of-sydney-students-claim-they-were-sexually-assaulted-and-call-for-better-consent-education-20210219-p57449.html
[8] - Chrysanthos, N. (2021b, February 22). “Pretty dark culture”: Sydney boys’ school heads express regret over rape claims. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/pretty-dark-culture-sydney-boys-school-heads-express-regret-over-rape-claims-20210222-p574pr.html
[9] - Henriques-Gomes, L. (2019, October 22). St Kevin’s College apologises over students’ sexist chant on Melbourne tram. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/oct/22/st-kevins-college-apologises-over-students-sexist-chant-on-melbourne-tram
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