Presbyterian Ladies’ College backflips on formal’s same-sex partner policy
AN elite Melbourne private girls’ school has dropped a demand that students seek permission to bring a same-sex partner to its year 11 formal after outrage from its schoolgirls.
Education
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EXCLUSIVE: An elite private girls’ school has dropped a demand that students seek permission to bring a same-sex partner to its year 11 formal.
Presbyterian Ladies’ College principal Dawn Clements addressed students this morning to state the school had changed its policy requiring girls to disclose and apply for permission to take their same-sex partner.
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Now students are allowed to bring “any guest they wish” to the event this Friday.
The decision this morning came after a meeting by the school’s executive committee at the weekend, prompted by calls from the Herald Sun.
Students said they had to disclose if a girl they wanted to take to the formal was their romantic partner, while boys were allowed without question.
“I spoke this morning with all Year 11 students to confirm a change in PLC guidelines meaning they can bring any guest they wish to celebrate a formal at PLC,” Ms Clements said.
“The change follows feedback from students and others in our community, and was agreed by the school executive over the weekend.
“Review and reflection on past practice is important in ensuring this continues.”
The Herald Sun understands a year 11 student wrote to her year co-ordinator requesting permission to bring a girl to the social but was denied, sparking outrage in the year group.
Principal Ms Clements attended a meeting with the year 11 formal committee group on Tuesday.
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“They said they wanted to balance out the proportion of girls and boys because they want girls to learn how to interact with boys,” a student told the Herald Sun of the meeting.
“The response was one of outrage. It is so unfair.”
Girls also claimed they were told not to wear dresses with plunging necklines or open backs.
The school would not comment on the dress code.
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