Perth schools scrap head boy and girl roles in push for inclusivity

Schools across Western Australia are increasingly choosing to let go of the head girl and boy student leader roles, in favour of gender-neutral positions as part of a push to be more inclusive.

But there are concerns the move has resulted in less diversity, when just one gender is elected to replace both roles.

Emanuel Foundas and Avicknash Dayanandan were the 2022 head prefects at Perth Modern.

Perth Modern School this year joined a growing list of high schools and primary schools making the transition, including Woodvale Secondary College and Bungaree Primary School.

Perth Modern principal Mitchell Mackay said the school had “returned to non-gender defined roles for the head prefects of the student council,” with the title first used back in the 1970s.

“The move was made to respect the diversity within the school and the trend for schools across the state to reflect the changing nature of society,” he said.

“The year 12 student council consists of seven amazing young people, all of whom are excellent leaders … and will go on to be amazing leaders of our community.”

Perth Modern students Emanuel Foundas and Avicknash Dayanandan were elected to lead their year group for 2022.

Curtin University School of Education professor Toni Dobinson believed many schools would be at least considering following a similar path.

But she said there may be some parents who were concerned their children would miss out, with students often electing two peers of the same gender into the leadership roles.

“It is such a prominent issue and I know there may be some concerns from parents that say getting rid of gendered roles may actually lead to less diversity,” she said.

“But it does allow the best people for the role to be elected regardless of gender. I think as a society as a whole that is the way things are headed and I would encourage more schools to take it up.”

Dobinson also said her own children had attended Perth Modern, and she was glad the school had made the change, stating there had been a high number of their peers who were gender diverse.

Western Australian Primary Principals’ Association president Niel Smith said many schools just wanted leadership roles to be given out on merit.

“It becomes more of an issue in high schools when student leaders have a little more responsibility — that is when it might become a problem if certain genders miss out,” Smith said.

“But overall, I think students are very aware of which of their peers would make a good leader, even in primary school, and want those people in charge.

“Students are often sat down and told what qualities make a good leader before they vote, and also get briefed on how to run a good campaign that avoids promising things in their speeches that are unattainable just to get the popular vote, for example, increasing the length of school lunch breaks.”

He said many of the primary schools he visited had switched to gender-neutral names, and his understanding was that high schools were on a similar trajectory.

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