Latest news with #coeducation
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Girls shouldn't be allowed at my $42,000 private school: This is why
Former students of a private Sydney boy's school have lost a bid to keep the school single-sex after angry dads protested outside the campus. The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled in favour of the $42,000-a-year school, paving the way to co-educational classes from kindergarten to Year 12. The decision comes more than a year after former Newington student Tony Ratsos, 63, went viral after he wept while speaking out against the move in January 2023. 'I can't bond the same way as I do with these men with girls,' he told reporters as he joined dozens of other parents protesting outside the school. 'I can't look a girl in the eye and call her a Newingtonian, because that's not what the essence of the school is about.' Supporters say the move would modernise the 161-year-old campus and support boys and girls working together, while critics say it's against its founding principles. Justice Guy Parker ruled the school's 152-year-old trust deed, which said the school was set up to educate 'youth' did not imply the school should be boys-only. 'The object of such school shall be to provide an efficient course of education for youth,' the trust deed reads. The parents argued that the word 'youth' in this document, while ambiguous, referred solely to boys because of circumstances at the time. The school's council, on the other hand, said the term was gender-neutral. Justice Parker agreed. 'I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 Trust Deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College,' he wrote. 'The claim for a declaration to the contrary... fails and must be dismissed.' In his viral interview last year, Mr Retsos said that if the school were to go co-ed, 'that bond no longer applies, because the dynamics have changed'. 'It's more than just a school: It's your life, it's a community,' the old boy said. 'All those men today that were protesting, they're not strangers to me. They're my brothers. They're all old boys... it's a bond you can't break.' The school, which charges fees of up to $42,200 a year, has exclusively taught boys since it was founded in 1863. The civil suit was supported by the Save Newington College group, an alliance of former students and parents opposed to the co-ed move. In a statement issued within minutes of the judge's ruling, the group said the decision was in direct opposition of the school's founding values. 'Today's decision, while respected, is at odds with the understanding held by generations of old boys, parents, staff and community members – that Newington was founded, funded and entrusted as a school for boys, consistent with the original deeds,' it read. 'While these current court proceedings have now concluded, the broader discussion about governance, transparency, and community engagement at Newington College continues. 'We remain committed to advocating for decisions that respect the voices of those who built this institution and who seek to protect its identity for future generations.' Newington's headmaster Michael Parker has welcomed the court's decision. 'We have been steadfast in our position throughout these proceedings and we remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era,' he wrote in a letter sent to the school's community. 'We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future.' And the court case may not be over yet. Justice Parker will later hear whether the parents will push claims that a male-only limitation applies to other property held by the school's council beyond the Stanmore property subject to the deed - including later-acquired lands. Newington's co-ed plans come as the NSW government adjusts public school boundaries to ensure all students have guaranteed access to a co-educational school by 2027. More than 150,000 girls and more than 130,000 boys attend single-sex schools across Australia, according to a 2023 Catholic schools discussion paper. About five-in-six of those students are in non-government schools, like Newington.
News.com.au
7 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Newington College student loses bid to challenge the elite school's move to coeducation
A student of a prestigious Sydney school has lost his bid to challenge the school's controversial move to coeducation. Newington College in Sydney's inner west announced in 2023 the school would accept both boys and girls over a staged move from 2026 onwards. The school, which boasts yearly tuition fees of up to more than $45,000, will accept girls to kindergarten and year 5 from next year, while the senior campus will accept girls in year 7 and year 11 from 2028. The decision immediately sparked controversy among the school's community, prompting a current student to take the matter to Sydney's Supreme Court. The student, who can only be known as Student A, filed a lawsuit in December 2024. The case hinged on the terminology in the school's 1873 Deed of Indenture, with the statement of claim arguing the words 'an efficient course of education for youth' is 'limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men'. Justice Guy Parker handed down his final judgment on Tuesday afternoon, finding that the terminology was used 'in a gender neutral sense'. '(I have) concluded that the word youth … was used in a gender neutral sense and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College,' Justice Parker told the court. The statement of claim also argued the use of the College's property 'for coeducation would be a breach of (Newington's) trust', which Judge Parker ordered be dismissed. Student A was ordered to pay the legal costs. Tuition for the elite school spans up to $45,369 for those in years 11 and 12, with the fees for those in years 5 and 6 reaching $35,487. The decision to move to a co-ed model was reached after consulting with members of the school community, the judgment states. However, it 'remained controversial among some parents and alumni'. 'In particular, it was claimed that assurances had been given in the course of fundraising that the college would remain a single-sex school,' the judgment states. 'Those particular allegations are not relevant for the purpose of these proceedings. The litigation before the court is concerned only with the council's power to introduce coeducation, and not with the merits of that decision.' Newington's headmaster said the school 'remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era' in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon. 'We are optimistic that today's determination will now pave the way for our community to move forward together,' the statement read. 'We thank our staff, students, and families for their ongoing support and faith in our direction and leadership. 'We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future.'
ABC News
7 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Supreme Court clears the way for Newington College to accept female students
The Supreme Court has shot down a legal bid to stop a 162-year-old school for male students in Sydney's inner west from accepting females next year onwards. Newington College, an affluent private school with more than 2,000 male students in Stanmore, announced plans to become co-educational in late 2023. But some students, parents and alumni — commonly called 'old boys' — were outraged by the decision, circulating a petition before launching a court action in the Supreme Court of NSW. The case was brought by Student A — who attended the school and had their identity suppressed by the court to protect their privacy — as he was against the Newington College Council and 25 other defendants. Lawyers for Student A claimed the school was formed to teach males, pointing to a trust deed from 1873 that described Newington College as "an efficient college for youth", arguing "the term 'youth' is limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men". Justice Guy Parker dismissed the argument in Wednesday's ruling. "I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 trust deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the college," he said. The Save Newington College group issued a statement mere minutes after the ruling, expressing their disappointment. "Today's decision, while respected, is at odds with the understanding held by generations of Old Boys, parents, staff, and community members — that Newington was founded, funded and entrusted as a school for boys, consistent with the original deeds," the statement read. "The campaign by Student A to protect Newington's heritage has never been about resisting change. The Newington College Council can now forge ahead with accepting enrolments in the school, where tuition ranges from $26,217 for kindergarten to $45,369 for years 11 and 12. Female students can join the primary school in 2026 and the secondary school from 2028, with the institution to become completely coeducational by 2030.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Court bid to stop Newington going co-ed fails as judge declares term ‘youth' is gender neutral
A student from a $40,000-a-year private school in Sydney has lost his battle to keep girls out of the school, with a legal challenge against the decision to go co-ed failing. The student, who remains anonymous and was only known as student A, had challenged the transition in the NSW supreme court on the basis that a trust deed written for Sydney's Newington college in 1873 stated the school was set up to educate 'youth'. They argued at the time the term referred to boys. But in his decision on Wednesday, justice Guy Parker concluded the 'word youth in the 1873 trustee was used in a gender neutral sense and does not mandate males only at the college'. The student would be ordered to pay legal costs with the total yet to be determinedm, the court heard. The November 2023 announcement by the Newington college council that the school would become coeducational led to furious opposition from some parents and alumni. One 'old boy' protesting outside the school cried when he told a reporter: 'I'm an old boy of the school, my son is also an old boy, and the intention was always that I'd have a grandson. But I won't bring him to a co-ed school.' Last year, Guardian Australia revealed Newington old boy and Sydney barrister Dallas Morgan had sent an impassioned email to alumni detailing his plans to fly to Tonga to lobby King Tupou VI – whose father was an alumni – on the issue. In the email, Dallas lamented that 'transgender midgets' could have their fees subsidised. He said old boys wanted a voice against 'the evil empire of woke mumbo jumbo'. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion More to come
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Top boarding school to admit girls for first time in 120 years
Cistercian College Roscrea, a boarding school for boys established in 1905, is to admit girls for the first time from next year. The fee-charging school, best known for its rugby and music traditions, plans to introduce 'day boarding' for girls initially before expanding to full boarding facilities for all students in the coming years. The boys' boarding school, located at Mount St Joseph Abbey on the border of Co Tipperary and Offaly , said the decision was taken by its patron, the Community of Our Lady of Silence. While the school came close to closure in 2017, due to declining enrolments, it said pupil numbers have since grown to 260 day and boarding boys. It said it now wants to 'include the whole family in its offering'. READ MORE [ 'It comes from fear': Aoife Daly on parents' battles to get autistic children into schools Opens in new window ] Colm Maloney, president of Cistercian College Roscrea, said the school was 'thrilled to announce what we consider a very significant and progressive step for what has been an all-boys school since its inception in 1905″. 'Our proposed transition to a coeducation model aligns with our mission to provide an exceptional learning environment that nurtures academic excellence, openness to faith, leadership, and personal growth,' he said. 'We want to be a home for everyone in the family, our uniqueness is that we are a small school which remains on the big stage, always.' The Abbess of St Mary's Abbey, Glencairn, Mother Marie Fahy, expressed her 'wholehearted support' for the change. 'We pray for all those entrusted with the important job of preparing young people for life at such a formative time as well as all those young people who will undoubtedly benefit from this welcome decision.' Cistercian College is a private boys' secondary school founded 120 years ago, located on the outskirts of Roscrea in North Tipperary. The school currently has a population of over 260 day and boarding boys. The school is located on the grounds of Mount St. Joseph Abbey -–the College is surrounded by open fields and woodland and provides a unique holistic educational experience for the students in its care. [ Teaching union urges members to back new Leaving Cert reform package Opens in new window ] The schools, where fees range from €8,845 for day pupils to €19,368 for seven-day boarders, includes many prominent past pupils including former taoiseach Brian Cowen , former tánaiste Dick Spring and former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews. The move comes as more single-sex schools are moving to coeducational models in response to a shift in parental preferences. Ireland still, however, has a very high proportion of single-sex schools in comparison with other European countries. At second level, about 35 per cent of girls and 28 per cent of boys attend single-sex schools. In the EU, Ireland is second only to Malta in terms of the relative number of students attending all-boys or all-girls schools.
