Drugs, fighting, theft, and lack of discipline are just some of the
infractions that have plagued this year’s Grade 11 class throughout their
tenure at St. George's School. Ever since Grad 2001 left the Junior School,
it has been branded as being one of the worst grades to ever go through the
school. This reputation is not unearned; last year, there were over 1000%
more suspensions awarded to Grad 2001 students then to the Class of 2002,
and 157% more suspensions than to the class of 2000. Also, 35% of all
students asked to leave were from Grad 2001.
Mark Norman, currently in Grade 11 agrees, "Our grade seems to have obtained
a fairly bad reputation within the school. Even back in grade 6 and 7 it
seemed like we were somehow more of a trouble making grade than any of the
others."
Although the reputation of Grad 2001 has been a negative one, Pat Dyke
believes that the grade on a whole has made a change for the better. "Last
year, there were several students in Grade 10 that really didn’t want to be
(at St. George’s)" Dyke said, "a couple of these kids can make a huge
difference as to the make up of the grade. Those kids have now left."
Dyke believes that the environment plays a huge role in the behaviour of
students. "I think if there’s a reputation of a grade being more difficult
than others, there may be less effort on the part of teachers to conform the
grade. I don’t know if this is the case, but it is a possibility."
Dyke said that Grad 2001 came out of the Junior School already with a
negative reputation. Although he was also quick to point out that other
grades have also been brandished as bad grades as well. Former Head Boy,
Jonathan Cooper, has been quoted as saying that his grade was also branded
as a bad grade out of the Junior School. Last year, Cooper’s grade was the
only one with more suspensions than Grad 2001.
Steve Hutchison, former Headmaster of the Junior School and the man who
personally hand picked Grad 2001, thinks that the grade has been
misunderstood. "This group was the most individual group to have ever gone
through the Junior School." Hutchison said, "I think the problem they had
was that there was an over-abundance of leadership. There was no real power
structure established because there were so many strong leaders. The grade
before (Grad 2000) had great leadership in guys like Gary (Ho), Stan
(McKeen), and Tim (Grant), (Grad 2001) didn’t have that."
"People like (Junior School teacher) Brian Lecky, whom other grades had
considered as Mr. St. George's, didn’t impress this grade as much as previous years. This
grade was too independent to want a guide such as Brian." Hutchison said,
"This group of individuals was definitely one of the most challenging for
teachers, whether that’s a bad thing I don’t know. My impression is that
this was a group of very strong willed individuals as demonstrated when they
took a stand against Mr. Marten and didn’t allow him to push them around. I
just think that their energy was a little misdirected."
Hutchison also believes that the bad reputation may be attributable to the
fact that Grad 2001 does not seem to conform to the usual St. George’s
image. "This was the first Grade that I had picked and I think that the
qualities I saw in the boys may have slightly differed to what was formerly
the norm."
Hutchison believes that Grad 2001 has the potential to be one of the
strongest groups to ever graduate from the school. Only time can determine
whether these words are prophetic or blind optimism.
- Co-Editor, Daniel Scarrow
