Tell me about sta for a…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

[Anonymous]

I'm a current high school parent at both NCS and STA and I haven't noticed this (above post) from either perspective (girl or boy). It's not to say that it doesn't exist in some circles (I don't know everything that gets said or goes on ) but it isn't the prevailing view of the boys by any means or something we've dealt with at all. The new(ish) headmaster has been great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

Hi. My experience is from the nineties, but I know people who taught there in the 2000s who confirmed this environment still existed.

It’s possible the new headmaster cares about trying to change this atmosphere. I don’t know. I’ve seen lip service from him to that effect. But I think all boys environments often just breed sexism. Think frats, the military, etc. It is healthier for boys to be in an academic atmosphere that includes girls, I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

Hi. My experience is from the nineties, but I know people who taught there in the 2000s who confirmed this environment still existed.

It’s possible the new headmaster cares about trying to change this atmosphere. I don’t know. I’ve seen lip service from him to that effect. But I think all boys environments often just breed sexism. Think frats, the military, etc. It is healthier for boys to be in an academic atmosphere that includes girls, I think.

Or perhaps their home environment is responsible for making sure that boys treat females with the dignity and respect that they deserve? Too many people throw the blame for bad behavior on school environment. How you treat women starts with your home life and the values your parents raise you to uphold everywhere you go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

Hi. My experience is from the nineties, but I know people who taught there in the 2000s who confirmed this environment still existed.

It’s possible the new headmaster cares about trying to change this atmosphere. I don’t know. I’ve seen lip service from him to that effect. But I think all boys environments often just breed sexism. Think frats, the military, etc. It is healthier for boys to be in an academic atmosphere that includes girls, I think.

I know the nineties feel like ten years ago, but they are very much thirty years ago. The 2000s are twenty years ago. I don't like being old either, but there we are.

To be clear, I don't know what sta is like now. I went to sidwell in the nineties, and the place now is very little like what I remember. So I'm just saying that I wouldn't find nineties stories relevant, for any school.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I know every kid is different, but how do the boys tend to respond to single sex? Do they like it better, at least for some grades? Do they miss the girls, at least in some grades? Does the remixing of NCS into sports and classes come at the right time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I know every kid is different, but how do the boys tend to respond to single sex? Do they like it better, at least for some grades? Do they miss the girls, at least in some grades? Does the remixing of NCS into sports and classes come at the right time?

My son (high school) is fine with the boys' school thing. He came in 9th from a coed public. He has 2 sisters so he has plenty of exposure to girls through them and their friends.
He's athletic and his main interests are all traditionally male pursuits (although he's definitely more TypeB than TypeA in personality). He was never close friends with girls but knew them as part of a larger social circle. Perhaps it would have been different
if he had close/best female friends in elementary and/or middle school (as many boys do).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

Hi. My experience is from the nineties, but I know people who taught there in the 2000s who confirmed this environment still existed.

It’s possible the new headmaster cares about trying to change this atmosphere. I don’t know. I’ve seen lip service from him to that effect. But I think all boys environments often just breed sexism. Think frats, the military, etc. It is healthier for boys to be in an academic atmosphere that includes girls, I think.

Thank you. I hear you on that. I hope things have changed since then, but I hear you on the coed for boys point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

Hi. My experience is from the nineties, but I know people who taught there in the 2000s who confirmed this environment still existed.

It’s possible the new headmaster cares about trying to change this atmosphere. I don’t know. I’ve seen lip service from him to that effect. But I think all boys environments often just breed sexism. Think frats, the military, etc. It is healthier for boys to be in an academic atmosphere that includes girls, I think.

I know the nineties feel like ten years ago, but they are very much thirty years ago. The 2000s are twenty years ago. I don't like being old either, but there we are.

To be clear, I don't know what sta is like now. I went to sidwell in the nineties, and the place now is very little like what I remember. So I'm just saying that I wouldn't find nineties stories relevant, for any school.

But I’m not just talking abut sta. I’m talking about all boys schools in general, and what sort of atmosphere that produces. STA is still an all boys’ school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

I am a feminist, and I have two sons at STA.

The previous poster comes on to every discussion about STA to talk about what a horrible experience she had. She clearly needs some counseling and help.

I doubt that every STA boy stared at every NCS girl, whether in the hallway or in their classes no matter how horrible and sexist the environment was in the 90s. Take her comments with a big grain of salt. That kind of hyperbole and black/white thinking is indicative of someone with psychological problems.

A subsequent poster got it right when they said respect for girls and women starts in the family. It's impossible to deny there are parents who are sexist, racist, and generally a$$hats at STA. You will find such parents at co-ed schools. We have a child at Sidwell and despite its liberal reputation, there are parents who are sexist, racist, and a$$hats. It has more to do with attitudes of privilege than whether a school is single sex or coed.

STA will give your son a terrific education. Is it perfect, no? Are any of the isms at STA worse than at Sidwell or GDS? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

NP here, I am so sorry to hear this. We were thinking of applying to St. Albans in the future. Could I ask if this was a recent experience? I wonder how things are these days…

I am a feminist, and I have two sons at STA.

The previous poster comes on to every discussion about STA to talk about what a horrible experience she had. She clearly needs some counseling and help.

I doubt that every STA boy stared at every NCS girl, whether in the hallway or in their classes no matter how horrible and sexist the environment was in the 90s. Take her comments with a big grain of salt. That kind of hyperbole and black/white thinking is indicative of someone with psychological problems.

A subsequent poster got it right when they said respect for girls and women starts in the family. It's impossible to deny there are parents who are sexist, racist, and generally a$$hats at STA. You will find such parents at co-ed schools. We have a child at Sidwell and despite its liberal reputation, there are parents who are sexist, racist, and a$$hats. It has more to do with attitudes of privilege than whether a school is single sex or coed.

STA will give your son a terrific education. Is it perfect, no? Are any of the isms at STA worse than at Sidwell or GDS? No.

New to this site but also attended NCS in the 90s and yeah, interactions with STA boys were often...not great, but I don't think rose to the level described above. But also, 30 years ago. I don't even recognize *NCS* all that much these days, and I went there. I assume STA has changed as well. Our experiences of 30 years ago are really not relevant, at least in the specifics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

What’s ironic is this type of attitude (looking for offense, unable to deal with the real world without whining and lashing out) being fostered at NCS is why so many parents send their boys to STA but never even consider sending their girls to NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

What’s ironic is this type of attitude (looking for offense, unable to deal with the real world without whining and lashing out) being fostered at NCS is why so many parents send their boys to STA but never even consider sending their girls to NCS.

What you call looking for offense I suppose I would call sticking up for yourself. You probably think it ennobling when women endure mistreatment in stoic silence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to NCS and would never ever send my son to St Albany’s, or likely any all boys schools for that matter. Incredibly sexist atmosphere that was demeaning to women. As an ncs girl if you walked down the hallway, they would all stop and stare. If you were in one of their classes, they would stare at you, and often snicker when you commented in class. Sexual harassing jokes in the school publications, etc. Never, never, never would I send my son there.

What’s ironic is this type of attitude (looking for offense, unable to deal with the real world without whining and lashing out) being fostered at NCS is why so many parents send their boys to STA but never even consider sending their girls to NCS.

Wow. I’ve never heard this line before. “So many,” huh? Where do these families send their girls? And if you are one of them, glad my kid is not around the likes of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think STA would be fine as long as your kid isn't a goth (i.e. really out there, blue hair, lip piercings, death metal kind of kid).

Why can’t this type get in?