7
When report of a sexual assault spread on the St. Paul’s
campus over a year ago, the community struggled to
grapple with the reality and consequences of such an
event inside what many consider to be our utopian
bubble. Valid questions were raised about gender, rela-
tionships, and traditions, yet the news stories about the
matter sensationalized by provocative headlines and
charged phrases such as “rape culture,” “misogyny,”
and “elitism” left a distorted image of student culture
in their wake. The St. Paul’s portrayed in the media is
not the same school I know and love.
St. Paul’s is not perfect, nor is it impervious to the
problems surrounding hierarchy, relationships, and gender
that many high schools face. The incident was not followed
by silence, but rather a collective effort to address press-
ing questions and concerns. Through
guest speakers, student-faculty
committees, dorm meetings, and
LINC days, students and faculty
joined to initiate a common vocab-
ulary to embark on the long road
toward consistency and transpar-
ency – two words at the center of
the discussion in the boarding school
environment. While the proper course
of action has been disputed, the end
goal appears to be uncontested –
creating a community defined by
kindness, diversity, respect, and
personal growth.
Unfortunately, the media has cast
our school in a very different light,
seizing one example of fleeting
vernacular as confirmation of a
universally unhealthy relationship
culture. This notion is flawed in several ways. First, the
term “senior salute” – contrary to salacious assumptions –
was used to describe any romantic encounter with a
senior class member and does not imply sexual inter-
course or any type of competition. Further, this term
is not some deeply rooted tradition, but a phrase that
arose in the past few years and is dissolving from
student vocabulary just as quickly. Finally, while social
expectations and peer pressure have often fueled the
hookup culture, I have not seen evidence that sexual
activity at St. Paul’s exceeds or differs significantly from
such interaction at any other high school.
As a female student, the incident was especially dis-
heartening, but I quickly found that it took a toll on all
members of the community, regardless of gender.
Though some would argue that vestiges of an
all-boys school remain ingrained in our
academic and social life, I never felt un-
seen, unheard, or disrespected by virtue
of my gender. However, while the
School works ceaselessly to reform
policy and advance conversation,
further progress beckons. St. Paul’s
cannot expect a seamless relationship
culture until there are transparent
policies to match. Despite legal obli-
gations that influence administrative
decisions, the School should not frame
romantic encounters in such a negative light,
but instead foster an envi-
ronment that embraces the growth
and development that adolescents
experience as students at St. Paul’s;
educating before reprimanding.
However, room for improve-
ment cannot be filled by admin-
istrative improvements alone.
Cultural change must start at
the roots of those embedded in
it. While at St. Paul’s, I was
constantly impressed with and
humbled by my peers, but until
the student culture at St. Paul’s
and elsewhere in our society
stops encouraging female (and
male) students to evaluate their
self-worth by the tallies of their
hookups, the real improvements
for which we collectively strive
will not be achieved.
Many articles are drawing a connection between
elitism and sexual assault at St. Paul’s, transforming
a widespread issue into a “prep school” one. Sexual
misconduct is a universal problem, and characteriz-
ing it as singular to one school ignores the need for
thoughtful discussions on the subject in other com-
munities. While I hope St. Paul’s will continue to
address these universal problems, especially as they
manifest in a residential community, I am proud to
be a recent alumna of a school that acknowledges its
flaws and takes great strides toward ensuring the
equity of and respect for all students – girl or boy,
freshman or senior.
NOT THE SCHOOL I KNOW
Amanda Morrison ’15
“While the proper
course of action has
been disputed, the
end goal appears
to be uncontested –
creating a community
defined by kindness,
diversity, respect,
and personal growth.”