From the Rector

Dear Parents,

Another interrupted term, and a very unsettled period for so many of our young men, takes us through to the Term III holidays. It has been interesting comparing the return to school following this latest lockdown to last year.

So many young men returned to school following last year’s lockdown with real positivity; they were happy to see their friends again, they were happy to get back to school, where the structure and routine made their lives so much more stable and reassuring, and they were keen to get back into their schoolwork.

This year has been different. While we have seen the majority of our young men come back and get straight back on the horse, so to speak, and into their schoolwork, we have also seen some unsettled behaviour from a small number of young men, behaviour that reflects poorly on them and on our school.

There have been issues with the TikTok trend, of course, as well as instances of other poor behaviour which show complete disregard for others and flagrant disrespect for other people or their property. But, as always, it is the minority who cause the issues and take up so much of everybody’s time and resources. They care little for the effect their behaviour has on others.

Across the country patience, compassion and empathy are in short supply. It is understandable that the ongoing lockdown is responsible for creating uncertainty and has led to a number of issues. But the disturbing amount of vitriol directed towards New Zealanders wanting to come home from overseas, and who are expressing frustration at the MIQ system, is concerning. There is an undercurrent of meanness, an inability to see things from another person’s perspective. Some have said these people should have come home last year, or at least before the latest lockdown, as if they had a crystal ball and knew what was ahead.

German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said, “Compassion is the basis of morality” and many New Zealanders are sadly lacking, it seems, in that regard. The online world has to shoulder a good deal of the blame – social media gives anybody with an opinion a platform to espouse all kinds of nastiness and idiocy. It is in equal measure galling and amusing – galling because there are some who sincerely believe their opinion must be treated as fact; amusing because the level of idiocy can be comedic. It has been said that the squeaky wheel gets the oil: that the loudest get the attention, and that certainly is true on the online world. There is no correlation between loudest and merit, however, and it is mystifying to see how many fall hook, line and sinker for even the most ludicrous ideas and statements.

But let us look forward and let us hope that the rest of the school year will be uninterrupted so our young men can gain the academic results they deserve. The recent senior school examinations gave those studying at NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3, as well as scholarship and university papers, the opportunity to measure their progress and give an indication of what they need to do for the NZQA examinations in November.

Have an enjoyable holiday break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back at the start of the new term.

D M Bovey

Rector