The old school debate of co-education vs same-sex schools has risen in the office. This week Cassie and Liz both weigh in with their views. Cassie gave her insight earlier this week. Now it’s Liz’s turn…
I’m not naïve enough to think that everyone has the best experience of same-sex schooling, but for me, I’m genuinely glad that my mum sent me to the all-girls school up the road.
Having spent my primary school days in Bayside, our mixed class of thirty students were the greatest of friends.
From first kisses, to fledging romances that lasted into the early weeks of that sixth class summer, there’s no denying that there’s advantages of having boys around. Some of my closest friends are men, and I couldn’t imagine surviving without them.
The fact that I didn’t make their acquaintance through school doesn’t lessen the bond, or mean that I’m surrounded by a huddle of women at all times. In fact, I’d say it’s pretty even that I’ve forged close friendships with both sexes despite spending my teen years in a convent school.
Santa Sabina, I’m proud to say, encouraged its students to try everything. While we had standard classes with everything from history and art to home economics, we could also take up woodwork and technical design. We were encouraged to run for student council, take part in debate teams, or join one of the ridiculous amounts of sports teams offered at every level so no girl could feel left out.
Our Leaving Cert year saw three or four different student groups tackle biology, physics and chemistry, with lunchtime groups set up amongst the different girls for support with homework or the stresses of that final year in school.
We had chess club at lunchtimes (yes, we were THAT cool), hosted musicals and talent shows and an annual sports day, where we all mucked in together.
Each year we celebrated the graduating year with a special assembly, where all six year groups came down to celebrate what our peers had achieved.
From honorary statues and sporting triumphs, I never sat through one of those graduation send-offs where every girl wasn’t enthusiastically celebrating the achievements and milestones awarded the class set to leave our community behind.
I think it’s important to paint that picture because if we’re honest, the image of an all-girls’ school regularly conjures up notions of bitchiness or bullying.
Let’s just call a spade a spade, and say your teenage years are tough. You’ll never be as cool or carefree as you could imagine, and chances are you’ll have run-ins with friends that break your heart.
It’s also a depressing fact that, at some stage, we will all be subjected to bullying.
I don’t think adding boys to the equation would lessen or worsen that experience for people. Having had friends who attended both mixed and single sex schools, their life wasn’t drastically changed by an injection of male hormones.
What I will say though, is that I think the responsibility greatly lies with how well a school handles bullying that regulates the behaviour of students.
I would be lying to say no bullying happened in my school while I was there, but it was dealt with quickly and discreetly. The girls were offered support, guidance and a safe place to talk through their concerns. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened in a co-ed environment? Or maybe it would have?
While people might claim girls are cruel in packs, I know from experience that when I faced tough times, it was the girls in my year who helped me out.
Like the classmate who sat beside me in French and used to drop in her notes any time I was sick so I wouldn’t fall behind. Or the genius who is now studying to be a doctor, who used to break down the maths homework (‘cause I really didn’t have a clue).
In turn I was always on hand to help a friend with her art homework, look over an English essay or run through Irish vocab. We weren’t all friends outside of school, but we were encouraged to see our classmates as our lifeline. And when we all moved onto separate colleges, I regularly ran into some of those girls and we’d wander down Grafton St to grab a cup of tea and catch up.
Closing off on my little ramblings, I think back to some of my favourite memories ever, and I share them with girls I met in my time in school and the times we shared in those grounds by the sea. We all survived the awkward phase of growing boobs, talking to boys, and passing the Leaving Cert together.
Life wasn’t perfect, but we were there together.
And now we’re scattered over different parts of the world, I regularly see someone pop up on my Facebook with news of engagements, babies, master degrees and exotic travels.
We’ll have our ten year reunion next year and I genuinely can’t wait to see what they’ve achieved.
I know it’ll be special too, because we were all taught to dream big.
I wanted to write for a living so my English teacher used to talk me through my essays and discuss my possibilities.
I just hope that maybe she gets a chance to read this, because I know it’s the support of that teaching staff and school that got me this far.
As well as my friends. Who I met walking down the tree-lined path nearly ten years ago.
