Boyband banned

Students of a girls' school go into a rant over their principal's decision to disallow visit by an American boyband
By Debbie Yong
Students of a girls' school go into a rant over their principal's decision to disallow visit by an American boyband.

A DISTRACTION or a form of stress relief? It seems that The Click Five inspires vastly different reactions.
BOYBANDS cause a stir with their presence, but the absence of one last week created an even bigger uproar.

Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' Secondary School (PLMGSS) had topped an online poll conducted by local radio station 987FM two weeks ago and was to be rewarded with a surprise visit from American pop-rock band, The Click Five, last Tuesday.

But apparently the school's principal said 'no' and the band visited CHIJ St Joseph's Convent (SJC) and Zhonghua Secondary School, the second- and third-ranked schools in the poll, respectively, instead.

The students found this out only on Tuesday night and one of them, a disappointed Secondary One girl, collected 300 signatures for a petition to the principal, Mrs Lee Siew Choo, to allow similar events in the future.

One of the students who signed the petition said: 'The school has misused its authority. The way the school makes decisions for its students is unjust and unfair.'

A few students felt that the school should have consulted them first. To address the concerns raised, the principal spoke to the entire cohort on the last day of the school term last Friday.

'We do encourage the students to speak up, but they need to learn that there are proper channels for addressing their concern.'
- MRS LEE SIEW CHOO, PLMGSS principal
She cited her reasons for rejecting the radio station's appeal: The principal had been given the responsibility to make decisions in the interests of the school and she was worried that the event would be a distraction for the Secondary Four students sitting for their O-Level examinations.

The pop culture element of the event also did not tie in with the school's values, she felt.

Following her address, six students wrote in separately to Stomp's Media Club website to air their disagreements with the reasons given by the school.

Said one writer, a Secondary Two student who did not want to be identified, fearing disciplinary action: 'It is an excuse to say that something small like this could be a distraction.'

A Secondary Three prefect added that she felt the school was being too rigid, especially since the examinations for the rest of the students were over by then.

The principal of SJC, Mrs Dolly Chan, said she decided to be flexible about the matter.

She saw the band's visit as a form of post-exam stress relief for her students, but she clarified: 'It should be done in moderation. We are not encouraging them to turn into groupies and follow the band everywhere.'

The six letters posted on Stomp garnered about 1,000 views each over the past week and have spurred comments both for and against the PLMGSS girls. In response, the school wrote to Stomp on Wednesday, refuting allegations made by the students online, such as the school's suspension of two students over the incident, and that students have no say in the autonomous school.

Mrs Lee explained to The Sunday Times: 'We do encourage the students to speak up, but they need to learn that there are proper channels for addressing their concern. A public forum wasn't quite the right place to do it.' She said she was 'saddened' by the language used in the forums. 'Kids nowadays tend to have many demands, and many cannot cope with the disappointment when they don't get what they want,' she said.

Outsiders have also chipped in with their views. Said an ex-teacher, in her late 20s, who declined to be named: 'Students these days are too vindictive. By going to the media, they are only ruining the reputation of the school.'

One contributor, who claimed to be an alumnus of the school, wrote: 'I am ashamed of this batch of brats...You are not mature enough to see that your principal means well. You are abusing your powers and the media.'