Should alumni have a say on a pride flag at a school?
The idea that the old boys should collectively have a say in how a school is run is ambitious and prone to failure.
The St Andrew's Bloemfontein Old Boys' Association chair faced challenges in effectively managing the group, highlighting the complexities of managing a diverse group of alumni with varying backgrounds, interests, and political beliefs. While some alumni feel the association is too focused on fundraising, others struggle to find a reason to remain actively involved.
The association chair questioned the feasibility of alumni having a significant say in running a school, pointing out that even within a single class, opinions on school governance would be varied and difficult to achieve consensus on. The chair emphasized that alumni associations should focus on their primary purpose, which is not to run schools but to engage with and support them.
He cautioned against expecting broad agreement on external matters, such as whether a school should display a pride flag, as diverse perspectives would likely lead to disagreement. The chair concluded by advising alumni associations to be mindful of their role and limitations, engaging in co-operation where it's codified and avoid attempting to meddle in the day-to-day governance of a school.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
