23Saints: Open letter responses from St. Stithians

Email responses to Open letter to St. Stithians and Sally James:

From St. Stithians rector Celeste Gilardi:

*Sic. "Macleod”.

Response from chair of Old Stithian Association Israel Skosana:

Text of reponses:

Gilardi:

Dear Mr MacLeod (sic)

Thank you for providing the requested clarification.  Please find the answers to your petition questions below.

I note your emphasis on governance. Therefore, I respectfully request that, as an alumnus, going forward, you direct all your communications to  the Old Stithian Association.

Yours Sincerely

Celeste Gilardi

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES

1.                   These policies are largely untested in South Africa. Have you formulated them with reference to successful implementations abroad? Please share any relevant case studies.

Currently the following policies and laws inform our decision-making as a South African school.

•                     The South African Constitution

•                     The SA Schools Act

•                     The South African Children’s Act

•                     Guidelines for the socio-educational inclusion of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) in schools

•                     ISASA Statement on Anti-Racism

•                     ISASA Diversity and Transformation Toolkit

•                     ISASA Equality Policy

•                     POPIA Act

•                     HPCSA – for our counsellors and psychologists, various ethics linked to client confidentiality

•                     St Stithians Charter

•                     St Stithians Statement on Diversity and Transformation

•                     St Stithians Spirituality Statement

•                     St Stithians Admissions Policy

•                     SACE regulations

Further to this, specific laws which may inform matters linked to the health and wellbeing of a child in relation to their gender identity. The following policies are in place:

•                     South Africa. National Health Act, Act 61 of 2003

•                     South Africa. Mental Health Act, Act 17 of 2002

•                     South Africa. School’s Act, Act 84 of 1996

•                     South Africa. Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, Act 49 of 2003

2.                   Please confirm whether any of the following bodies of thought are informing policymaking or interactions with students: Critical race theory; Intersectionality; Grievance studies; SEL.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the only one on your list, Mr Macleod, that we have applied.

3.                   Several of the resources listed on your Gender and Transformation website discuss puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgery. Does the school play an active role in any decisions a pupil may be considering with regard to taking puberty blockers or undergoing gender reassignment surgery? If so, what are your procedures and rules?

No. The school does not play an active role in any such decision by a student.

4.                   In addition to what is provided in the newsletter and website, will you provide us a complete list of race, gender and sex literature used to inform these policies, train teachers and instruct pupils?

We do not depend on the categories of literature you mention.

Principles

5.                   Is school an appropriate place for these policies? A school certainly can’t ignore these important issues. But it appears that the classroom is being changed into a place to accelerate and direct intimate aspects of the sexual emotional development of children and adolescents.

We adopt a holistic approach to education: the classroom is used for curriculum delivery consistent with our integrated approach.

6.                   To what extent are these policies intended to improve academic and professional outcomes for pupils? Is there evidence that they are likely to do so?

As alluded to in questions 2 and 5, academic achievement and social-emotional well-being are inextricably linked. Our staff cohorts are qualified, across a range of competencies and knowledge bases, to educate the whole child.

7.                   Is the school endorsing one ideology to the exclusion of others?

No. It is not.

8.                   Are the religious beliefs of pupils and parents being accommodated by current policies?

We are a Methodist Christian school. And, we are respectful of the various faiths represented by the families who elect to send their children here.  Please refer to question 1’s answer for further details.

Procedures and safeguards:

9.                   What safeguards are in place to ensure appropriately qualified and positioned people are carrying out these policies? For instance, what are the criteria determining when a teacher must hand over an issue to a registered psychologist and to inform parents?

As stated in question 6, our staff cohorts have a range of professional competencies and, where applicable, are affiliated to the relevant statutory and professional bodies.  We believe our recruitment processes are sufficiently rigorous to ensure our employees act in the best interests of each student. We engage our staff in continual professional development across an array of educational matters. In addition, our induction processes are sturdy as are our performance management systems.

10.               Are teachers allowed to use a child's altered pronouns or names without informing parents?

Altered names and pronouns do require parental permission.  Our staff are apprised of this.

11.               To the extent the information is public, will you share a list of disputes the school has been party to on the topics of race, gender and sex, with a summary of the alleged transgression, nature of the hearing and the outcome?

In alignment with prevailing labour law and other legislation, we do not release confidential details of any disputes and/or matters of a disciplinary nature to the public. To do so would be in breach of the law. We do, however,  submit detailed generic reports/analyses to our Governance Council Sub-committee on disciplinary matters relating to staff, students and parents.

Human and financial resources

12.               How much time are teachers expected to spend on race, gender and sex training and policy implementation? How are they compensated for this? To what extent does it detract from teaching duties?

We do not hold that attending to the matters mentioned constitutes a detraction from teaching duties. St Stithians adopts an integrated approach to its educational offering.

13.               Have any staff members opposed this raft of policies? How are those concerns being dealt with?

To date, no staff have availed themselves of our formal College structures to oppose either policy or action.

14.               What is the extent of the resources being used to drive the new policies? Will you provide us with account showing the amounts spent over the last reporting period on:

-      Race, gender and sex consultants/training

The College prioritises continual professional development across a range of relevant educational competencies, especially teaching and learning best practice. Our budget is rigorously aligned with our commitment to upskilling our staff. Training needs are accommodated when appropriately motivated and affordably costed.

-      New facilities, such as bathrooms, to accommodate gender and sex policies.

No new facilities have been built but bathrooms have been refurbished as part of ongoing facilities maintenance.

-      Legal fees for disputes arising from race, gender and sex disciplinary action.

This year we have incurred expenses relating to the resolution of one matter relating to race. This information has been shared with GovCom as stated above.

15.               How many students and staff have left the school citing policies on race, gender and sex.

No staff have left citing the above. We are aware of one family leaving in relation to the ‘policies’ you reference.

Future

16.               Are there plans for the introduction of further policies on race, gender and sex? If so, how can the broader Saints community get involved in debate and formulation?

St Stithians is continually engaged in the reiterative scrutiny of all its policies in response to drivers of change.  If matters related to race, gender, sex, or any other dimension, require our response, we will attend to them on a case by case basis. Stakeholders are free – and are encouraged -  to engage appropriately and respectfully through our established governance structures at any time.

Skosana:

Good Evening Ian,

Thank you for the engagements over the last few weeks. 

I would like to reiterate that the College has responded, to the extent that it is comfortable with. 

I would like to confirm that for your point two, the College does not draw on CRT, the document you are referring to appears to be from 2020. 

On your fourth point, the school does not rely on the ideas associated with the categories you list.

With regards to having a balanced view, the College is taking action to do so:

1) A disclaimer being placed on the reference material page, where we confirm that the material is not endorsed or certified by the college but rather further reading for parents to consider while doing their own research. 

2) Active engagement sessions on gender matters with parents across the campus. Where all views are appreciated, as St Stithians has thrived due to collaboration through robust and respectful engagements. 

To conclude, our beautiful school has not amended any infrastructure, policies or teachings for the matter related to transgender. If any changes are suggested in future they will be taken through the governance process, which is transparent and auditable by any of our formal constituents, Parents, Church, Alumni. 

Kind regards,

Israel Skosana 

Ends.