“Do you want to be seen as trash bags or as ladies?”
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It was the question a small group of St Joseph’s Lochinvar students took quite literally when they wore garbage bags at school in a protest on Wednesday.
The female students wore the plastic bin liners over their uniforms after boys and girls were separated for assemblies on Tuesday regarding their behaviour and appearance.
In the girls meeting, students were presented with two images posing the question “do you want to be seen as trash bags or as ladies?”.
The assembly also addressed skirt length, makeup and jewellery.
A Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Schools Office spokesperson said the aim was to reinforce the message of girls presenting themselves respectfully, being strong and confident, and being able to articulate their own self-worth.
But a relative of one of the students, who wished to remain anonymous, saw it differently and contacted Fairfax Media in disgust at the school’s actions.
“It is so derogatory to speak to them like that,” the relative said. “They should not have grouped them all together as if all their skirts are too short.
These are young adults they’re dealing with, not inmates at Cessnock.
- Relative of a St Joseph's Lochinvar student
“These are young adults they’re dealing with, not inmates at Cessnock.
“In this arena of striving for gender equality, teachers should not be inferring teenage girls are skanks.”
The relative also raised concerns about the school’s reaction, saying the girls were given detention for the stunt.
“Girls who have objected … should not be stifled by any sort of punishment,” they said. “They should be encouraged and applauded.”
The Catholic Schools Office spokesperson said senior staff spoke to the school principal following the assembly concerned that some students appeared to be upset.
The school denied punishing the girls for wearing garbage bags, but said the principal and another teacher pulled the girls aside afterwards to discuss events.
“There was and will be no punishment given to these girls,” the Catholic Schools Office spokesperson said.
Another parent told Fairfax Media her daughter was disappointed all girls were called into the assembly rather than the small group of students who did not abide by the school’s dress code.
According to the school’s website, students are not permitted to wear excessive jewellery and/or non-skin coloured makeup.
St Joseph’s Lochinvar full response
There was a gathering of students on Tuesday that was initiated by the school’s Executive, in gender groups to raise with male and female students, how they perceive and present themselves and to reinforce expectations around behaviour and uniform.
The assemblies did not come about as a result of an ‘incident’. These assemblies involved all students from Years 7 to 11.
Senior staff spoke to the girls and boys. Senior staff spoke to the school principal after the assembly. They were concerned for the students who appeared to be upset as a result of the assembly.
The students were presented with two images – ‘do you want to be seen as trash bags or as ladies’ - simply to reinforce the key messages of girls presenting themselves respectfully, being strong and confident, and being able to articulate their own self-worth. As part of this students were also reminded of the need to abide by school rules in regard to length of uniform, make up or jewellery.
The students were definitely not described as trash bags – the term was simply used as an image or a concept which the teachers thought the students would relate to and understand.
The next day a very small group of girls, in the recess break, wore a garbage bag around their waist as a form of protest. The Principal and another executive member met with these girls and invited them to share their views regarding the assembly.
At the end of the discussion, the girls agreed that, with the value of hindsight, the wearing of garbage bags around their waists probably wasn’t the best way of expressing their opinion. The meeting was open, honest and transparent.
The Principal commended the students on their willingness to engage in a mature, open and honest conversation about the event and for the honesty of their response.
The girls thanked the Principal for listening to their concerns. After the girls left the Principal's office, another student came forward and asked to speak with the Principal. This girl indicated she was surprised that she wasn’t invited to the earlier meeting as she too had worn a garbage bag around her waist. The Principal had the same conversation with her.
There was and will be no punishment given to these girls. Punishment was not and will not be considered in relation to this matter.