A School in Australia Has Boys as Young as 12 Apologize for the Sins of Their Sex

Have you ever been Down Under?

I mean to the underbelly of toxic masculinity.

Some in Australia apparently have, and they’re ready for an apology.

Hence, a group was recently chosen to serve up a “sorry.”

That’d be male Aussies.

As young as twelve.

On behalf of all men.

Related to sexual assault crimes.

At school.

Reportedly.

As relayed by 7News, boys at Brauer College in Warrnambool were ordered to apologize Wednesday on behalf of their biology.

Danielle Shephard — whose 12-year-old son attends the school — told the outlet he was left confused by the attempt at righting historical wrongs.

“He said that he was made to stand up and basically apologize…it wasn’t explained properly to the male students what they were doing or why they were doing it.”

Apparently, it’s related to a mandate that “consent classes” be taught at all Victorian state schools.

From Channel 7 on March 21st:

Acting Premier James Merlino has moved to make teaching consent compulsory in all government schools from next month under an expansion of the Respectful Relationship program.

The initiative previously did not explicitly direct schools to teach consent and instead focused on relationships, sexuality and safety.

From term two, the new directive will compel state schools to teach the government’s Respectful Relationships training on free agreements.

Merlino said Victoria and other states should not be complacent on ensuring consent was taught well in classrooms.

James said it flat-out works:

“[Respectful Relationships] is proven to make a real difference and is a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence.”

In a statement, Brauer College Principal Jane Boyle confirmed that last week’s mass mea culpa occurred:

“Schools play an important role in the promotion of safety and respect of all students, and discussions in schools around respect towards girls and women are a key part of this vital work.

“This week, at a whole school assembly, Brauer College discussed the topic of respect for woman and the importance of bystander behaviour and speaking up to report incidents of inappropriate behaviour.

“The assembly included the screening of a video message by Brisbane Boys’ College Captain Mason Black about being proactive in stopping incidents of sexual assault and harassment.

“As part of this discussion, boys were asked to stand as a symbolic gesture of apology for the behaviours of their gender that have hurt or offended girls and women.”

Was that a great idea?

In retrospect, Jane thinks perhaps not:

“In retrospect, while well-intended, we recognise that this part of the assembly was inappropriate.”

The good intentions must’ve been aimed at the girls, exclusively.

Amid a panel discussion, Herald Sun reporter Suzan Deblasic told Sky News Australia she spoke to parents about the ordeal.

“One boy came home, and he said, ‘Mom, I’m not a rapist. Why have I been forced to apologize for this?'”

“I think parents were just thinking, you know, ‘Why were you saying this about my son?”

Evidently, it was traumatizing:

“[O]ne mother I spoke to told me that her son didn’t actually want to go to school the next day because of it. … [O]ne mother, her son had taken to SnapChat…and he said, you know, ‘Don’t label me as this. I’ve never taken part in this.'”

It seems the event was meant to make girls feel safe. It may have had the opposite effect on boys:

“A lot of the male students…felt quite victimized by the whole incident. And…it makes parents feel, ‘How can I ensure that my children are going to school, and that they’re feeling safe. Because, how can you feel safe after this?”

In the war of wokeness, it might just be that forced apologies aren’t the way to go.

And perchance that’s doubly true when people aren’t guilty.

Either way, Wednesday was probably a warm-up.

If recent events are any indication, it certainly won’t be the last time all those kids have to say they’re sorry.

-ALEX