Prefects, publications and politics

If you haven’t yet realized, it’s almost prefect time again, which is visibly evident from the behaviour of some overly fanatical parents.

Every year, we see the same occurrence with the Grade 12 parents suddenly involving themselves at school, where they were rarely involved before. This can include anything from school donations to participating in committees and convening the local sports club.

This common manifestation has been the theme of many a movie such as Hoof Meisie and Spud 3. In the movie Spud, he actually refers to being so passionate about being a prefect, that friends start becoming enemies. It really is sad to see lifelong friends resorting to all sorts of inappropriate behaviour to ultimately win the game, because that’s what it is, simply a narcissistic game.

You only have to read the local community publications to recognize the rival parents along with their poor children who are sometimes unwillingly drawn into this rather sinister game. I guess the sheer passion to be prefect does drive a strange behaviour that forgets that local news is about the community and not a platform to exploit an opportunity for exposure.

The main characteristic of any good leader is trust, but sadly I get the sense that we are teaching our children the opposite, that is to be shallow politicians. The global trend is for institutions to develop future leaders through a system that encourages business skills and community collaboration, something that is far more beneficial than an ego and a soon to be forsaken school badge.

So we then look to the publications to demonstrate impartiality, only to find that the publication is funded by school adverts and advertorials. The first lesson in politics, I will scratch your back if you scratch mine, so back to the process of selecting prefects . . .

ROSELLA ROSSI

Salt Rock