Principal Mr Peter Clague reflects on the evolution of AI and discusses how our students recognise and critically engage with its growing presence.
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As the College continues to adapt its curriculum to keep pace with advances in AI, our focus is also increasingly on equipping students with an ethical lens through which to view its application.”
Science Fiction
I was raised on a steady diet of science fiction short stories. Good sci-fi is made from a mix of ingredients, including wonder, hope and the suspension of disbelief. However, the strongest flavour is usually fear. Dystopian tales painting a bleak picture of future worlds in which technology takes over. My earliest introduction to the concept of machines running amok was the softly spoken HAL 9000, the onboard computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey. When an astronaut working outside to repair the spaceship instructs HAL to open the pod-bay doors to let him back in, he is met with the apologetic response: “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Dave.” Perhaps for the first time, audiences around the world were confronted with the chilling possibility that the devices we built might not always do our bidding.
Jump forward 20 years, and The Terminator landed on Earth. No longer were the machines simply refusing to do what they were told, they were now the ones doing the telling. Usually, robots in the form of large muscular men (although ironically, even when they revealed their true selves they were still built in the image of the human beings they supposedly despised). This time, they weren’t locking us out, they were hunting us down and eradicating us with futuristic weapons we hadn’t dreamed of. Yet.
When the 21st century arrived, and real tech actually began to resemble some of those worrying predictions of the past, screenwriters had to dig even deeper into the recesses of their dark imaginations. The Black Mirror TV series offered up a new era of future horrors to haunt us. Killer mechanical guard dogs gone rogue. Single-minded and solar-powered, endlessly pursuing hapless passers-by to the death. Or a world in which, through the implantation of a device called a “grainˮ behind their ear, people’s innermost thoughts and memories could be replayed on screens for others to judge. Or autonomous drone insects, tiny robotic bees designed to pollinate crops but instead accidentally tuning into social media posts and then attacking people who were being trolled. Suddenly, arguing with HAL’s gentle voice seemed a bit tame.
Yet, although dominant, fear is only one part of the sci-fi recipe. As novelists dream of what may one day come to pass, they are equally capable of imagining a better world, often a miraculous one. The prospect of annihilation or eternal slavery in the matrix keeps a storyline going, but writers of future fiction also offer glimpses of a world free from suffering. One where complex mechanisms bring equality and enhance human potential. Various Android options have been a popular way to showcase the benefits of the integration between humans and machines. I grew up watching the bionic heroics of Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man (that was a lot of money back then, ok?) Then along came C-3PO and R2-D2, setting the standard for helpful robotic companions. Even Arnie, The Terminator, came right in the end.
Science Fact
So far, so fictional. Here now are two short stories from the current century. The only difference being that both are true tales. The first is of the thousands of women who may not be walking the Earth today were it not for Google. Four years ago, researchers from Imperial College London trained Google’s artificial intelligence algorithm ‘DeepMind’ to identify breast cancer by identifying abnormalities in X-rays. Reading scans like this is not new; doctors have been doing it for decades, but sadly they sometimes get it wrong. Yet in a study of images from nearly 29,000 women, the AI system consistently outperformed the humans, both in avoiding false positives (where a mammogram is wrongly diagnosed as abnormal), and in spotting false negatives (where a cancer was missed by the doctor). The AI beat the radiologists by 5.7% and 9.4% respectively. To put that in human terms, that is over 1,600 women who weren’t put through unnecessary anguish and medical interventions, and 2,700 who may be alive today because a tumour was detected and treated. All thanks to AI.
In those same years, war has raged in Ukraine. When it first broke out, airborne drones played a fairly small part in the fighting, often controlled by amateur volunteers rather than soldiers. Today, drones are the central and most deadly weapon in the conflict. Both sides have them, large and small. Some watch for movement, others deliver a deadly attack. Jamming technology has rapidly been developed to disrupt the radio signals that control the drones. However, the one the Ukrainians fear the most is the Russian Lancet. Not because of its payload, but because it flies completely autonomously, meaning there is no signal to jam. Once launched, its onboard AI takes over and it simply keeps flying until it finds a target and attacks it. The Black Mirror screenwriters were prescient.
What Happens in the Sequel?
So fiction becomes fact, and we now live in a world where lives can be saved or ended without human intervention. And that is just because of early artificial intelligence. What happens next, as Generative AI emerges, whereby computer programs don’t just act autonomously, they also learn and get better with every task? What do the past 50 years suggest we should be teaching our students about this new capacity, as they prepare for the next 50? To fear it? To embrace it? To accept the inevitability of being swept along by scientific advances they can’t hope to fathom? Or to get a degree in coding and make a fortune as the architects of the next generation of computing?
Perhaps a Blend of Them All?
One thing is certain; young people need to be armed with enough understanding to be able to spot AI in action. In our classrooms, we teach them how to sort fact from fiction. To know when they are being manipulated by impersonal software. To beat bots and forego fakes. We encourage them not to be afraid of the hype and hysteria about AI, but also to recognise and continually question its presence in their lives.
And as the College continues to adapt its curriculum to keep pace with advances in Generative AI, our focus is also increasingly on equipping students with an ethical lens through which to view its application. Their generation will live in a world of intelligent implants and bionic body parts. They will judge and be judged by algorithms. Be assisted, but also potentially be abused, by autonomous agents. Many of our students will grow up to be the authors of these new technologies, or the wielders of its power. Things will turn ugly if it’s not controlled, but that’s not a reason to abolish it. The world will be a better place if it is harnessed.
Today’s children are still the luckiest to have ever lived, and science offers them better still in the years ahead. In their hands will lie the deployment of technologies that my generation only ever marvelled at on the big screen. Whilst it may still be fanciful to think technology will ever become sentient and destroy them, there is a very real prospect that uncontrolled applications may lock some of them out of a brighter future. To avoid that, human learning needs to keep pace with machine learning.
By Mr Peter Clague, Principal
*Previously published in the September 2024 edition of Network, the magazine of the St Leonard’s College community.
Principal Peter Clague announces our 2025 College Captains marking a new chapter of leadership.
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As the vibrant colours of spring begin to emerge around the College campus, so too does a new chapter in our school’s journey, marked by the announcement of our 2025 student leaders.”
There is something fitting about the timing of this transition. Just as the season brings renewal and growth, we too prepare for the next phase of student leadership at St Leonard’s College, as the torch is passed from one remarkable group of young leaders to another.
This week, Mr John Moore, Head of Senior School, and I had the distinct pleasure of informing our newly appointed College Captains for 2025 – Amelie Taylor and John Goodwin – of their positions, and hosting an afternoon tea with both our 2024 and 2025 captains. It was an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of our current leaders and look ahead to the promising future that lies in the hands of these exceptional students.
We are delighted to announce that alongside Amelie Taylor and John Goodwin, our Deputy College Captains for 2025 will be Sierra Woolhouse and Bardia Nikakhtar. All of these students have been selected by their peers for consistently embodying the qualities we hold in high regard – kindness, a strong sense of social justice, and the ability to foster meaningful connections within our community. They have demonstrated time and again their capacity to lead with integrity, humility, and respect.
Our new leaders are well known for their thoughtful communication, their willingness to listen to diverse perspectives, and their dedication to making a positive impact, not for recognition, but because they believe in the value of service. They have embraced the responsibility of leadership with grace, and I am confident they will continue to inspire and uplift those around them throughout 2025.
Before we turn fully to the future, it is important to recognise the outstanding leadership of our current College Captains, Spencer Hawkins and Nicola Loschiavo, along with our Deputy College Captains, Emily Conheady and Richie Huang. As they enter their final term of leadership, they continue to demonstrate the strength, dedication, and humility that have been the hallmark of their tenure. Their ability to unite the student body, encourage a culture of respect and inclusion, and serve as exemplary role models has left a lasting impact on the College. We are grateful for the energy and commitment they have brought to their roles, and we know they will finish the year with the same enthusiasm and integrity with which they began.
As we move into this new season, we are reassured by the knowledge that Amelie, John, Sierra, and Bardia will lead us with the same strength of character and purpose that have earned them the respect of the College community. Congratulations once again to our incoming captains for 2025 – your leadership will no doubt contribute to another successful year ahead.
Peter Clague
Principal
A Season of Change – Spring 2024 at St Leonard’s College
Titled ‘Where Do I Belong? Here’, Ayda’s album touches on themes of identity, culture, and belonging.
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We are excited to celebrate the wonderful achievements of Old Collegian Ayda Akbal, from the Class of 2019, whose new album ‘Where Do I Belong? Here’ has just been released.”
This album represents a deeply personal exploration of Ayda’s experiences growing up as a first-generation Turkish-Australian. Ayda shares, “This music was composed with the intention to provide a place of reflection and connection between people of all cultures and experiences – to do my part in fostering understanding, empathy, and celebration of diversity in storytelling.”
Contributing to the album are two fellow Old Collegians, Oscar Bruten and Max Bruten, both of whom are talented musicians who made significant contributions to the St Leonard’s music program during their time at the College, as did Ayda. Their involvement adds a special connection to the project, showcasing the continuing collaboration and creativity of our alumni.
Where Do I Belong? Here draws inspiration from Ayda’s family heritage, weaving together melodies passed down through generations and stories from her childhood. The album touches on themes of identity, culture, and belonging, exploring the challenges and rewards of growing up in a multicultural household. Through her music, Ayda reflects on her journey and invites listeners to consider their own experiences with culture and identity.
Ayda hopes the album fosters a greater understanding of diverse stories and the shared experiences that connect us all. By blending her personal history with broader cultural reflections, she has created a unique and thoughtful body of work that resonates on many levels.
St Leonard’s College is incredibly proud of Ayda, Oscar, and Max for their contributions to the music world. Their success is a great example of how our students go on to pursue their passions that were ignited during their school years and make meaningful impacts in their chosen fields.
You can listen to Where Do I Belong? Here on all major music platforms. We encourage the St Leonard’s community to listen to Ayda’s album and join her on this journey of self-reflection and cultural connection.
Our newly launched website has received multiple international design awards, reflecting cutting-edge innovation and an exceptional user experience.
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St Leonard’s College is delighted to announce that our newly launched website has received three prestigious design awards.”
The CSSDA is an international platform that recognises creativity and technical excellence in UI (User Interface), UX (User Experience), and innovation.
Our website was awarded for pushing the boundaries in all three categories: UI Design, UX Design, and Innovation in Development. UI (User Interface) refers to the visual design and interactive elements of the website, ensuring it is not only aesthetically appealing but also intuitive and user-friendly. UX (User Experience), on the other hand, focuses on how users experience the website, emphasising seamless navigation and functionality to meet user needs efficiently.
This accomplishment is particularly impressive, as it is uncommon for a website to be recognised in all three areas. These awards, judged by an international panel of experts, not only highlight our commitment to embracing cutting-edge technologies but also position St Leonard’s College as a leader in digital innovation within the education sector.
Being recognised by such a respected international platform underscores the strength of our online presence, reinforcing our dedication to being a forward-thinking institution that places our College community’s user experience at the forefront. Winning these awards highlights our commitment to delivering an exceptional digital platform for current and prospective families, staff, alumni, and the broader community.
With parenting experts everywhere, how do we know who to listen to?
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One thing for certain is that navigating the current landscape of youth wellbeing has never been more complex for parents.”
Some of the issues affecting the wellbeing of students include school refusal, social media trends, body image standards, study stress, screen time, gaming, gambling, sexting, consent, cyberbullying, neurodivergence, gender fluidity, anxiety and many more.
These issues are also significantly different to when parents were at school due to technology changes, the rise of social media and the increasing age of having children. For most adults the generation gap feels enormous and when young people are in distress, parents face a large task in trying to navigate complex topics.
In my time spent working with students in crisis, you quickly find that behind each struggling student, there is a parent doing their best, but often feeling lost and needing support. So before things start to take that path, how and where can parents find trusted advice and support?
The following resources are my go-to for parents (and friends) for any parenting queries or topics of interest. They provide practical, positive information delivered by actual experts and are easy to navigate and digest.
1. SchoolTV – One of the main parenting resources that the College provides for our parent community is access to SchoolTV. It encompasses a range of videos on different parenting topics presented by leading experts. You may have even seen some of the special reports promoted through the newsletter, or the links to SchoolTV resources included in wellbeing articles. Each STL parent has access to SchoolTV and if you haven’t been on, I urge you to check it out. Access SchoolTV here.
2. Raising Children Website – Easily the most comprehensive parenting website, Raising Children is a federal government resource which has a range of articles, videos and interactive resources tailored to different ages and stages. The website takes you from nurturing a newborn to raising a confident, resilient teen – it also includes ways to help parents to look after themselves too! Their Raising Healthy Minds App is one to check out if you have children aged 0-12. Access Raising Children here.
3. REACHOUT One-on-One Support for tough times with teens – Reachout offers parents who are supporting teens through a tough time, 4 online phone coaching sessions with a parenting professional. Online sessions can help to identify effective parenting tools and develop plans and strategies to suit your particular situation. Check out Reachout’s website here.
Alongside these amazing online resources the College’s parent program also invites a range of professionals to the College each year specifically for our parent community. Sessions are delivered after the school day has ended and we endeavour to invite in speakers who provide our parents with practical information about parenting in the current climate. This year we have seen sessions around sensory regulation, safe partying for teens, thinking traps and budgeting.
This year we have also provided STL parents with access to the CyberSafety Project’s online parent webinar series. This series of seven webinars provides parents information about the digital world of our young people which they can view at home.
By Emily Price, Head of Wellbeing
Gala Ball Raises Nearly $80,000 for St Leonard’s College Aspire Scholarship Program
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Thank you to our incredible College community for your generous support of our Foundation’s event.”
Our inaugural Foundation Gala Ball on Saturday 31 August was an exceptional success! Held at the stunning Centrepiece at Melbourne Park, this event not only strengthened the bonds within our College community but also united us in support of a truly worthy cause – raising much-needed funds for the St Leonard’s College Aspire Scholarship Program, supporting refugees, Indigenous and socially disadvantaged students.
The evening was nothing short of spectacular. Guests were treated to a premier dining experience with exquisite food that set the perfect tone for an elegant night. Adding to the joyful atmosphere was the Baker Boys Band, whose infectious energy got everyone on their feet, dancing the night away to their favorite hits.
The excitement of the night reached its peak during the live auction, where spirited bidding made for some thrilling moments. The highly sought-after items included the Taylor Swift autographed guitar and the Billie Eilish Super box for 18 people. The event also featured a silent auction filled with unique experiences and items generously donated by College families and local businesses. Please see the hyperlinked list below of the local businesses who supported this worthy cause.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to our wonderful host, Livinia Nixon, for leading the night with her grace and charm, and to live auctioneer Nick Renna and the team from Jellis Craig for conducting a truly exciting live auction. Special thanks to InnovateGPT Group, our Live and Silent Auction sponsor, for their tremendous support, and to Jen Neate, our Chair of Foundation and Council, along with Nicole Haydon, for their outstanding work in sourcing and organising the silent auction.
Thanks to the generosity of our guests and the collective efforts of the College community, we raised almost $80,000 from the raffle, live and silent auctions, and event donations. These funds will go directly toward supporting refugee, Indigenous, and socially disadvantaged scholars at St Leonard’s College, giving them the opportunity to access a world-class education.
This evening of elegance, fun, and philanthropy would not have been possible without the help of many. We extend our deepest appreciation to all the College families, local businesses, and individuals who contributed their time, effort, and donations to this event.
We look forward to continuing our Foundation’s mission of providing 100 scholarships in 100 years and supporting an education for life.
Thank you to our Silent Auction Donors
St Leonard’s College has been recognised as a ‘School that Excels’ for academic results and social responsibility in The Age’s annual series.
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St Leonard’s College has been recognised as a ‘School that Excels’ in The Age’s annual series, celebrating schools that have shown outstanding improvement in their VCE results over the past decade.”
This accolade highlights the College’s consistent commitment to academic excellence and its ability to elevate student achievement year after year.
The Schools that Excel report provides a comprehensive view of the VCE performance of over 500 Victorian schools, offering insights into each school’s average study scores, high achievers, completion rates, and student pathways. By analysing data from the past 10 years, the interactive dashboard presents a picture of a school’s typical performance, going beyond just the current year’s results.
St Leonard’s College’s inclusion as a winner in this series is a testament to our strong academic record and our dedication to fostering a supportive and high-achieving educational environment. But our success is not just measured in academic achievements; it is also reflected in our deep commitment to social responsibility, epitomised by initiatives like Lennie’s Van.
Lennie’s Van is a beloved part of our College community. Since 2018, the van has travelled to local council estates, where Senior School students from Years 10 to 12 volunteer to deliver fresh fruit, bread, and meals to residents. This initiative is so popular that participation spots are booked out within an hour each term. “It’s like getting tickets to a concert,” says Year 12 Deputy College Captain Emily Conheady of the thrill of securing a spot aboard the van. “When I get asked about what I do at school, I don’t talk about the classes or the camps, but Lennie’s Van.” For many students, the experience aboard Lennie’s Van is the most rewarding part of their College life.
This enthusiasm even inspired students to start a vegetable garden to supply the van with fresh produce. Our Principal, Peter Clague, has continued to champion social responsibility since his arrival in 2022, believing that this commitment to community service is what truly sets St Leonard’s College apart.
In combining academic excellence with a strong sense of community involvement, St Leonard’s College continues to shape the lives of our students and the wider community.
Featured above: St Leonard’s College Principal, Peter Clague, with Senior School student providing Lennie’s Van meal service.
For further information on the Schools that Excel series and Lennie’s Van article please visit The Age online at https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/schools-that-excel-2024-20240813-p5k20v.html
In welcoming families back after the break, Peter Clague reflects upon the origins of school holidays, and suggests a conversation starter for the term ahead.
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A warm welcome back to term 3 for all in the College community.”
Whether your family spent time on a warm beach, a frozen slope, or hunkered down against the winter weather at home, I hope that everyone is refreshed after the July break. However your children spent their holidays though, it is probably a safe bet that they weren’t out labouring in the fields.
Yet the seasonal demands of farm life were the original reason for the timing of our school holidays. Beginning in the UK 200 years ago, school terms were originally driven by the agrarian calendar, as children were needed at home in the autumn to help bring in the harvest. European settlers carried that annual cycle with them to Australia, although, of course, our Southern Hemisphere seasons were reversed, meaning the long summer holiday also aligned with Christmas.
The need for the whole family to pitch in with planting and later picking crops dictated that the school year originally comprised two terms, beginning on January 1st and July 1st. By the 1900s, that had morphed into three terms, each an unbroken 15 weeks in duration. I started teaching under that regime; it was an unforgiving test of endurance. Holidays were more of an exercise in recovery than recreation.
And woe betide schools that didn’t stay the course. In the early days of Australian State education, total school holidays could not exceed thirty days a year. The temptation must have been strong, because any Principal who allowed more than thirty days could expect to have their salary docked.
In the more enlightened eighties, a report to the Australian Director-General of Education of the time suggested that a shift to four 10-week terms would be of benefit to students, teachers, and the community as a whole. Accordingly, in 1987 the Education Department introduced the four-term structure we know today, and the four long holiday breaks that divide them.
That may seem a lot, but how much is too much? Working parents who sometimes struggle to occupy their children during those holiday breaks may be interested to know that a recent OECD analysis found that Australian students spend more hours in school than any other OECD country. Across primary and lower secondary years, Australian students are in school for more than 11,000 hours, compared with the OECD average of just over 7,600.
Which is something of a paradox, given how time-poor teachers and students often find themselves during each school term. There is no doubt that we operate in a very regulated environment. Four period days, 10-day cycles, four term years; our timetables are geared to maximise opportunity and time-on-task. Yet even with those efficient systems, sometimes there never seem to be enough hours in the day for many at St Leonard’s College. We base our entire educational offer upon the power of giving young people choice, so it can be frustrating when it is time, not opportunity, that limits them.
That is why, as we regather for this new term (a relatively short 9-weeker), I encourage all parents to take a moment to talk to your child about their personal aspirations for term 3, 2024. To see the weeks ahead as something new, not more of the same. Re-establishing daily routines after a less structured holiday is an important life skill (and easier for some than others). But as the household rhythms of school days and work life return in your home, and before busyness overtakes us all once more, perhaps find a little time to help your child identify a specific, personal aspiration or two for the term ahead. Maybe auditioning for a part, trying out for a team, broaching a new friendship, or targeting a test score. Whatever it may be, help them to see the term as a chance to sow and reap their own successes over this next school season. In short, set some short-term goals (pun intended).
By Peter Clague, Principal
Principal Peter Clague promotes respect and responsible technology use among students.
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Amidst recent media scrutiny over incidents of misogyny and online abuse in schools, St Leonard’s College Principal, Peter Clague, emphasises proactive education, addressing disrespectful behaviours and promoting responsible technology use among students and parents.”
How many children does it take to tarnish the reputation of a school? Sadly, that is not the build up to the punchline of a joke. Sadder still, the answer is ‘not many’. As a number of colleges across the State have discovered this past term. Despicable acts by a few students saw an unrelenting spotlight on a number of schools which were otherwise doing wonderful things for large numbers of young people, day in and day out. The repulsive behaviour certainly deserved condemnation and consequences were due. However, at times, I wondered whether the media and social media pile-on was proportionate. When the Premier and Prime Minister weigh-in with comments about a disciplinary incident in a school, a Principal is left with few options for balancing punishment with rehabilitation, and juggling individual rights against a duty to protect a school’s standing in the community.
The day after one of the more egregious incidents, in which girls were ranked on a disgusting list by a handful of male students, I was having lunch with our own College Captains. “Convince me” I challenged them, “why that couldn’t happen at St Leonard’s?” Hearteningly, their answers were immediate and earnest. “Not only would our girls not stand for it, our boys wouldn’t either”, they replied. “Mixed friendship groups here are too close for anybody to think like that.” Plus “There’s so many ways to report concerns here – kids would call it out straight away”. Reassuring, but just to press the point, all of the College and House Captains then took it upon themselves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder at assemblies over the following weeks, delivering powerful speeches to Senior and Middle School students, making a public stand against misogyny and all forms of disrespect.
Whilst the wider public debate was certainly helpful in prompting conversation about the scourge of sexist behaviour that still plagues parts of our society, it often got side tracked by laments about the supposed evils of digital technology. There is no doubt that social media and the emergence of AI apps played a part in those high-profile school cases, but I continue to argue that technology is usually the vehicle, not the driver. Therefore, banning it doesn’t address the underlying problem of poor behaviour. To tackle that, we need to separate the motive from the mechanism.
It was ever thus. In 370BC, scholars believed that a new-fangled thing called “writing” was making people stupid (ironically, we know this today because their views were written down). In 1888, the new trend of reading things called “novels” was called a “mischief” and likened to the perils of drinking. In the Fifties, society anguished over teenagers’ addiction to the newfangled telephone. By the Seventies, “evidence” purported to show that watching television caused brain damage. Then computers arrived, and reputable educators were warning that teaching children to program them would create a “culture of psychopaths” for a “meagre job market” (that was in 1984, so maybe George Orwell was right?). The point being that human history is awash with examples of new technologies being catastrophised. Yet technology is neither intrinsically good nor bad. It is agnostic. In truth, most technologies are simply amplifiers of existing human behaviour. Texting can spread a bully’s poison further, but it can equally broaden the reach of a Good Samaritan.
Fortunately, the College’s response to emerging technologies is not governed by media hysteria. Instead, we are guided by research and evidence-based studies. Staff stay abreast of the latest research into the impact of digital technology, and our practices are guided by science, not scaremongering. For example, a seminal report in the highly-regarded scientific journal Nature recently detailed a meta-analysis of the impacts of a wide range of factors on adolescent mental health. When it came to digital technology use, they found only a fractionally negative association with a child’s wellbeing. So small, in fact, that the consumption of potatoes rated as having an almost worse impact.
The door of scientific evidence swings both ways though. We are also quick to share with students the findings of a National Academy of Sciences study that confirmed that social media use is not, in and of itself, a strong predictor of life satisfaction across the adolescent population. Yet the Black Dog Institute’s excellent webinar on research into teenage screen use evidenced the benefit of online apps in promoting positive peer connection, fostering emotional regulation, and offering easy access to communities, support, and information. To return to the analogy, technology is merely an amplifier. Turning it off doesn’t make for a better musician. Dial it down by all means, but it is only by correcting the underlying poor playing that we achieve greater harmony.
Back to the root of the problem then. There is no place for misogyny in our society, just as there should be no tolerance for sexism, racism, or any other form of exclusion or abusive conduct. Identifying and challenging it must always be our mission. By “our” I mean both teachers and parents, because there was one other important element in the recent cases of misogyny and online abuse that was perhaps a little overlooked by the media scrutiny and public discourse last term. Namely, that most of the offending occurred outside of the schools that the students attended. Usually in the privacy of a young person’s home or bedroom. The schools concerned copped the brunt of outrage for allowing a toxic culture to exist on their campus, yet the behaviours mainly emanated elsewhere.
Which is not to try and shift the blame; schools have a moral and legal responsibility to educate young people to be civil, respectful citizens. We also have a unique opportunity to do so, using their attendance on our campus to model inclusion and call-out unacceptable behaviours and ideologies. But parents and close family members have equal, if not greater influence. And that means accepting that difficult conversations sometimes need to be had. It is infinitely easier to complain about cell phones, or agonise over AI, than it is to sit a young man down and talk about pornography.
Indeed, pornography is a great example of how best to tackle issues that are exacerbated, but not caused, by technology. Firstly, there is no point in tiptoeing around the facts. Research clearly shows that viewing pornography is strongly associated with the sexual objectification of women. And a 2024 Australian study showed more than 52% of men and 32% of women had reported viewing pornography by age 14. Hence, it is an issue teachers and parents should confront early. We could blame the internet and portable digital devices for increasing that exposure, but does that address the underlying need for education about respect for women? Trying to introduce age verification technology for adult websites is laudable but, in reality, would be nearly impossible to police. Teenagers are hard-wired to be both curious and creative; they will ferret out ways around it. The same is true for recent calls to age-restrict social media accounts. Even the nation’s e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has said that she does not support the proposal because of the fear it may push children online in secret. What we must do, teachers and parents united, is be ready to talk about the content rather than the container.
The College Captains did a good job in reassuring me that misogyny and sexist attitudes are not prevalent at St Leonard’s. However, it would be hubris to believe that we are immune. That is why, amidst the usual busyness of the past term, senior staff responded to the national media focus on other schools by redoubling our efforts to deliver programs to promote respectful relationships and the appropriate use of digital technologies when young people are in our care. As the holidays commence and parents have a little more time than usual to spend in their children’s company, I would encourage seizing those moments in the same way. By all means, try and adjust the frequency of screen time. But also take the opportunity to discuss which of your child’s beliefs and behaviours are being amplified by the technology they use. It is only by taking an interest in their online life that you can help to tone down discord and turn up virtue.
By Peter Clague, St Leonard’s College Principal
*Those interested in some of the research referenced above can find them here:
The Black Dog Institute Webinar (PDF Transcript)
Social Media Age Restrictions Article – Safety Commissioner Comments
Social Media Bans Articles
Education Matters Article 1
Education Matters Article 2
The Educator Online Article
During a recent Year 11 Chapel service, Year 12 student Eve Smith gave a heartfelt speech on ‘Reconciliation – Why Bother?’.
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Eve embodies the quintessential Leonardian spirit, recognising the importance of being a responsible local and global citizen and serving as a positive change agent.”