Revelations

[parent]

I shall be withdrawing my child from St. James. Thank you for all your posts.

[Daffy]

FORGIVE ME MY SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL VIEW OF REALITY.

'Sandra',

I've had to do university dissertations that were shorter than your post, and I'm not sure everyone is going to take the trouble to read everything you said. As a proponent of meditation, which supposedly promotes clear thinking, your post is unfortunately not a great advertisement for it.

What concerns me though is why the title of your post is the name of a former pupil, with no explanation as to why. Unless you are the ex-pupil named, in which case you have filled in the wrong box, I think it is improper to use people's names in this way. I will suggest to Mike (the owner of this board) that he changes the title of your message.

[Antises]

I read every word and found your post very entertaining, Sandra. Thanks for diverting these boards momentarily from the abuse, abuse, abuse etc of a bygone era and opening up some of what I would term the real problems with St James. And a lot of what you say is in agreement with many of my views about St James. Those who are clearly bent on revenge and desiring to punish St James in some way must realise that it is more useful, not to mention realistic, to seek to initiate changes. The attitude that St James can never change due to its innate association with the SES is defeatist: the changes that have occurred, especially recently, would startle many former pupils. I agree, Sandra, with your views about meditation and the re-emerging concept of the Self. It's not all weird and wacky stuff peculiar to St James or cults and religions.

I am afraid time is against me, but I hope to re-read and comment on specific statements made in your post once it's on my side. Meanwhile, don't let Daffy's derogatory comment - "As a proponent of meditation, which supposedly promotes clear thinking, your post is unfortunately not a great advertisement for it" - prevent you from making contributions. There are people who read and value what you say in your straightforward and seemingly impulsive manner.

[a different guest]

I read your post with interest Sandra - seems my concern about ongoing sexism in the SES is justified.

I was bemused to notice recently that "Katherine Watson" (a current St James teacher who posts here) bears the same name as the feminist 1950s era teacher portrayed by Julia Roberts in Mona Lisa Smile

[Guest]

I attended St Vedast School for Girls for a year when I was 10 (1980) - it was quite honestly the worst experience of my life - I however do not blame my parents - they had no involvement with the SES at all and felt that since my brother was doing well there that it would benefit me.
However it left me with such feelings of low self esteem after only a year there that it took many years to get over it!
I remember feeling penalised because I was tall for my age and didn't conform exactly to the sweet little girl mode - there were incidences when they allowed other girls to leave early and not me - there was another incident when I had left money in the cloakrooms there - that was one of a number of thefts and they told me I'd be in detention if I went to get it. Another time I found my gym shirt on another girl and when I reported it was told to leave it with her.
I could go on - having to listen to an hour's philosophy at 4pm in the afternoon is not sensible! - being told I was cheating when it was someone else's fault.
Being slapped by a teacher for no good reason on a school trip - coming out of the school and feeling that I hadn't been taught properly at all.
Penalised and shouted at for not being good at games! - need I go on.
They didn't want to let me go home from the school mass with my brother even though I had parental permission.
It is time people spoke out - the SES is a cult - it is not a religion and the schools need to be exposed for what they are!
I am now a well rounded individual but if I had stayed there I would not have been

[a different guest]

well I admit to a gender bias - but it seems to me the abuse at the girls school was more subtle and more insidious.

[Guest]

Antises I really value your support and it meant a lot to me. It was so unspoken that I forgot to speak it. I feel a love for a kindred spirit.
Amen