Lapse
30-10-2008, 10:21
Well, less than a week after the government announced mandatory ISP level filtering in Australia, we have another "Freedom of Speech" issue coming out of 'Soviet Australia'
Head boy Gary Rego delivers abusive Valedictory speech
THE head boy of Perth private school Corpus Christi will be forced to sit his TEE exams elsewhere, after delivering a spray of abuse at a school graduation ceremony.
Gary Rego, 16, told students and parents at the Sunday night ceremony that it was "really sad" -- following a crash that killed three students in August -- that Principal Vaughan Sadler was not at the graduation dinner, but was "holidaying and watching cricket in a far away land".
Watch video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nalApXjNQMs)
Mr Rego also fired off at acting-principal Sue Baker.
"We all know what it means to be under the authoritarian and dictatorial rule, thanks to Sue Baker . . . in trying to gag freedom of speech, thought and expression," he said.
Another student of the Bateman college, in Perth's southern suburbs, captured the speech on video, which was then posted on Youtube.
Mr Rego also said that the 2008 leavers' year had been the "most horrific" in the history of Corpus Christi, because of the deaths of "three of our most loved mates" James Klessens, Braydon de la Nougerede and Rosy White, all 17.
The students died when the BMW in which they were travelling hit a tree in Riverton on August 29.
Another Corpus Christi student, Adam Johnson, was seriously injured in the crash.
Mr Rego was eventually prevented from continuing his speech and forced off the stage by what appeared to be three male staff members.
Dr Baker said the College received enormous support from the college community on the night of the Graduation Dinner.
"This has continued throughout this week with emails, cards, flower and phone calls of appreciation and support being received daily," she said.
"The latter part of our 25 Year Anniversary has been fraught with tragedy and disturbance, however, the positive we take from this adversity is a strengthened community spirit at Corpus Christi College."
Dr Baker denied Mr Rego's allegations and added that the head boy would have to sit his exams at another venue because of students' reactions to what he had said.
"We encourage students to be open and honest," Dr Baker said.
"But only at the appropriate time and at the appropriate forum and in the appropriate manner, and that was inappropriate.
"The consequence is that we've asked him to sit his exams at a different venue other than the college venue.
"The reason for that is we need to provide a safe and good learning environment for our students when they sit the exams, Gary included.
"So we believe that under the current circumstances that it would not be advisable for Gary to sit the exams in the same rooms as the other students because of their reaction."
Dr Baker had no fear for Mr Rego's safety, but said the school's actions were for the good of all students and the school was "not being vindictive".
"He hasn't been expelled, he's still enrolled with us as a student," she said.
She denied Mr Rego's version of events as totally untrue.
"We had a group of students going to India to visit an orphanage in their holidays and (Mr Sadler) went with that group of students to visit that orphanage,' she said.
"Then that continued (for Mr Sadler) to a term of long service leave . . . organised at the beginning of the school year before anything else happened.
"Vaughan Sadler was here at the time of our tragedy (the crash) and it was brilliantly handled.
"Students and parents of our Year 12 cohort were horrified at what was said.
"There was a stunned reaction as to what went on.
"The college community are very supportive of the college."
Dr Baker said Mr Rego was a "quiet, good student" who had carried out his duties as headboy well.
She did not believe he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when he made the speech.
"So this is totally out of character and not something that I would have expected to happen," she said.
Dr Baker said that Mr Rego may not have liked the fact that she wanted to see his speech, which was normal for such events.
Drr Bakesaid the College received enormous support from the college community on the night of the Graduation Dinner.
"This has continued throughout this week with emails, cards, flower and phone calls of appreciation and support being received daily," she said.
"The latter part of our 25 Year Anniversary has been fraught with tragedy and disturbance, however, the positive we take from this adversity is a strengthened community spirit at Corpus Christi College."
So, I ask you, NSG, is this an outrageously insensitive egotistical outburst from a spoilt brat? or is it a case of an outspoken and oppressed individual finally breaking the chains of a facist school community?
My Opinion:
While freedom of speech is important, this is perhaps as case of an arrogant spoilt little bastard making a controversial speech for no reason other than to cause trouble. Sure, some of the commentators on the news site are in support of his message, and perhaps the school is a bit overboard in areas, but his speech was so incredibly insensitive. It accused the head master of being inhuman for taking his holiday (that he planned before the car crash).
Head boy Gary Rego delivers abusive Valedictory speech
THE head boy of Perth private school Corpus Christi will be forced to sit his TEE exams elsewhere, after delivering a spray of abuse at a school graduation ceremony.
Gary Rego, 16, told students and parents at the Sunday night ceremony that it was "really sad" -- following a crash that killed three students in August -- that Principal Vaughan Sadler was not at the graduation dinner, but was "holidaying and watching cricket in a far away land".
Watch video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nalApXjNQMs)
Mr Rego also fired off at acting-principal Sue Baker.
"We all know what it means to be under the authoritarian and dictatorial rule, thanks to Sue Baker . . . in trying to gag freedom of speech, thought and expression," he said.
Another student of the Bateman college, in Perth's southern suburbs, captured the speech on video, which was then posted on Youtube.
Mr Rego also said that the 2008 leavers' year had been the "most horrific" in the history of Corpus Christi, because of the deaths of "three of our most loved mates" James Klessens, Braydon de la Nougerede and Rosy White, all 17.
The students died when the BMW in which they were travelling hit a tree in Riverton on August 29.
Another Corpus Christi student, Adam Johnson, was seriously injured in the crash.
Mr Rego was eventually prevented from continuing his speech and forced off the stage by what appeared to be three male staff members.
Dr Baker said the College received enormous support from the college community on the night of the Graduation Dinner.
"This has continued throughout this week with emails, cards, flower and phone calls of appreciation and support being received daily," she said.
"The latter part of our 25 Year Anniversary has been fraught with tragedy and disturbance, however, the positive we take from this adversity is a strengthened community spirit at Corpus Christi College."
Dr Baker denied Mr Rego's allegations and added that the head boy would have to sit his exams at another venue because of students' reactions to what he had said.
"We encourage students to be open and honest," Dr Baker said.
"But only at the appropriate time and at the appropriate forum and in the appropriate manner, and that was inappropriate.
"The consequence is that we've asked him to sit his exams at a different venue other than the college venue.
"The reason for that is we need to provide a safe and good learning environment for our students when they sit the exams, Gary included.
"So we believe that under the current circumstances that it would not be advisable for Gary to sit the exams in the same rooms as the other students because of their reaction."
Dr Baker had no fear for Mr Rego's safety, but said the school's actions were for the good of all students and the school was "not being vindictive".
"He hasn't been expelled, he's still enrolled with us as a student," she said.
She denied Mr Rego's version of events as totally untrue.
"We had a group of students going to India to visit an orphanage in their holidays and (Mr Sadler) went with that group of students to visit that orphanage,' she said.
"Then that continued (for Mr Sadler) to a term of long service leave . . . organised at the beginning of the school year before anything else happened.
"Vaughan Sadler was here at the time of our tragedy (the crash) and it was brilliantly handled.
"Students and parents of our Year 12 cohort were horrified at what was said.
"There was a stunned reaction as to what went on.
"The college community are very supportive of the college."
Dr Baker said Mr Rego was a "quiet, good student" who had carried out his duties as headboy well.
She did not believe he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when he made the speech.
"So this is totally out of character and not something that I would have expected to happen," she said.
Dr Baker said that Mr Rego may not have liked the fact that she wanted to see his speech, which was normal for such events.
Drr Bakesaid the College received enormous support from the college community on the night of the Graduation Dinner.
"This has continued throughout this week with emails, cards, flower and phone calls of appreciation and support being received daily," she said.
"The latter part of our 25 Year Anniversary has been fraught with tragedy and disturbance, however, the positive we take from this adversity is a strengthened community spirit at Corpus Christi College."
So, I ask you, NSG, is this an outrageously insensitive egotistical outburst from a spoilt brat? or is it a case of an outspoken and oppressed individual finally breaking the chains of a facist school community?
My Opinion:
While freedom of speech is important, this is perhaps as case of an arrogant spoilt little bastard making a controversial speech for no reason other than to cause trouble. Sure, some of the commentators on the news site are in support of his message, and perhaps the school is a bit overboard in areas, but his speech was so incredibly insensitive. It accused the head master of being inhuman for taking his holiday (that he planned before the car crash).