THE REPOSITORY Voices of Roedean
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
The BIG Question With Jodie Gough
‚What’s the strangest excuse you’ve been given by a pupil (or you have given) as to why they haven’t done their prep or turned up to class?‛ “Sorry madam but I flushed my essay town the loo...” - Mrs. Armes
“My prep flew out of the bus window.” - Ms. Fewkes
“Sorry Sir, my sister set fire to my prep.” - Dr. Kaye “My homework‟s in the boot of my dad‟s car, but he put the key in the lock, turned it, and the key snapped in half...” - Mr. Lawrence
“I did my prep and put it in your pigeon hole and its just disappeared!” - Mrs. Whitestone “Well, I couldn’t do my reports and marking once because my whole brief case was stolen out of my car...” - Mrs. Hargreaves
“I didn’t do the prep because my mum said I didn’t have to because she said Maths isn’t that important.” - Mr. Orys
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THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN “Honour the wordy”
Whimsical Narrative (Version 1.2) Editor’s note: : I assigned a short story to this hilarious threesome, in which they had to include three words: jellyfish, dumpling and tomb. Enjoy. By Lily She-Yin, Hannah Smith, Barbara Roberts Once upon a time, there was an artist who was inspired by a jellyfish, a dumpling and a tomb. This is his story. The End. Just kidding, we have by no means fulfilled our 500 word requirement... yet. Though that just took up around 48. So, here is the (as yet unverified) absolutely true account. It began with Ye Olde Artiste‘s Travel Guide. Of course, the man reading it was Gerald von Schplatt, an artist (yes, the one previously mentioned). You could tell he lived a bohemian lifestyle from his malnourished and somewhat moth-eaten appearance. Gerald was firmly of the belief that all artists, such as himself, should take part in meaningful and inspirational pilgrimages* in order to cultivate their art. In reality he had found the book in Ye Olde Charitie Shoppe for 1HDS (Heavilie Darnéd Socke, for bartering was common), but that doesn‘t sound quite as good. Anyway, it told him meaningful and inspirational things such as: ‘Ye who are Inspired can to do anythynge’. This was the reason why Gerald was wading into Ye Englishe Channel, along with all his worldly possessions**, i.e. his current attire. He had attempted previously to hire a small boat from a fishing village (called Ye Olde Bryghton) in exchange for a sketch of the fisherman‘s wife, but was kicked out, to his disgust. Now, of the many dangers of the oceans one such danger (called a jellyfish) was destined to wander across Gerald‘s path that eve. In its dim consciousness it wondered whether the waterlogged shape just ahead would be good to eat, before drifting into it in typical jellyfish fashion. ‗Yaaarghh‘, said Gerard. ‗-eth‘, he added as an afterthought***. The jellyfish went ‗Bzzzzzzzt΅ ’. Gerald waited helplessly for rescue. To cut a long story of suffering and endurance short: help arrived, in the form of an occupied rowing boat. To cut it even shorter, Gerald was indeed rescued by the nice fellow in the boat, who asked his name. ‗Gerald von mumblemumble. An artist. –Eth.‘ After a pause, the stranger nodded wisely and continued rowing. On reaching Ye Olde France, Gerald thanked the boat guy for his kindness, after which they parted ways. However, on continuing his journey Gerald had a direful lapse of memory΅΅, causing him to attempt the crossing of Ye Olde Europe with no supplies. Nevertheless, he pushed on, visiting arty stuff along the way, until he reached the territory of Ye Olde Israel – we did say ‗as yet unverified‘ – where he found some dropped cash and dragged himself to the nearest inn (called Ye Olde Inne΅΅΅). It was here that a kindly old lady took his money and fed him a good meal of dumplings-+. Then, seeing his pitiable state, added a second helping. It was this goodwill that allowed Gerald to complete the last leg of his journey. Our young++ hero, after a long time of travelling, finally found himself in a place with a lot of sand and camels. ‗This must be Ye Olde Egypt, yea verily.‘ said Gerald, to himself. Obviously the point of being here was to witness very large art, namely the famous Pyramids, and be inspired. Gerald sat down in front of one such magnificent structure, and thought back on his journey. He thought about the nice boat guy and the kind old innkeeper. He mused over the great tombs before him. Then, Gerald von Schplatt took out a sketchpad (from Ye Olde WHSmithe) and drew a cupboard-sized artist‘s studio, adding in the details of the patched blankets in one corner, and the damp invading a wall, as well as the salvaged equipment he used for his craft. The door was slightly ajar, and rotting on its hinges. He stood up, miles from any kind of civilisation, with the company of a single camel. Gerald surveyed his handiwork critically, then turned his mind to more pressing matters…such as where his tour guide had just disappeared to. *To where, he was unsure. The book didn‟t specify. **As heroes and quest seekers do. ***It was fashionable at the time. ΅We apologise for the stereotype, not all jellyfish go Bzzzzzzt. ΅΅Caused by the traumatic jellyfish encounter? ΅΅΅Don‟t tell us you didn‟t see that one coming. + Not sure about the cultural accuracy of this one. ++ A debatable point.
Last Thought: I know you have come to kill me. Shoot coward, you are only going to kill a man. Facing his assassin, Mario Teran, a Bolivian soldier. -Ernesto "Che" Guevara, d. October 9, 1967. Strength and courage, sisters.
PAGE 12 THE REPOSITORY
Roedean School Newspaper Volume III, Issue I
Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ
Autumn, 2010
Where Did My Sisters Go?
James Delingpole, budget cuts, and my womb.
By Joy Crane Aside from some hot air, lively debate, and a fantastic dinner I can‘t help but look back at the James Delingpole dinner and wonder if I missed the point. Despite some nervous hand-wringing about placing Roedean‘s most argumentative and articulate girls in the same room as a self-described ‗chauvinistic pig‘, the dinner was surprisingly tame. Too tame. Sure, if a score -keeper had been present we certainly would‘ve come out on top: the diners hit an effective balance between class A ‗Roedean civility‘ and scything challenges to some of our guest‘s more provocative comments. But if we won the battle, then we certainly lost the war. In our attempt to defy Mr. Delingpole‘s stereotypes and defend our own turf (a girl‘s right to a private education) a deeper, more meaningful debate was truncated. The argument proposed in Mr. Delingpole‘s article ―The Son Only Rises‖ (which posed the following hypothetical circumstance: if parents can only afford to send of one of their children to private school they should send their son because of his ‗biological disposition‘ to become the breadwinner) directly related to the average Roedean girl, and made our blood boil. But surely there was something more fundamental in our reaction to this contentious piece than just the direct threat it posed to us as individuals? Surely the injustice discussed in the article which brought Mrs. King and students alike to their feet is one that isn‘t confined to the strict parameters of girls in independent schools? In short, there‘s a larger debate, bigger questions, looming around the Delingpole article which the dramatic response of the school, the debating society, and the dinner seemed to overlook: the presence of feminism in the 21st century. This is the war we didn‘t win that evening with Mr. Delingpole, and I feel we‘ve lost with ourselves. So before I proceed with this article, here‘s a quick 101 course on feminism.
Getting a few misnomers out of the way, feminism is not about bra-burning, man-hating, lesbianism, shaving your head, resentfulness, abstinence, or the Spice Girls. I‘m sorry to patronize you with the clichés, but I thought I ought to do it just the once, because as critics like Mr. Delingpole will tell you, that‘s what feminists do best. Modern feminism (third-wave is the jargon term) is defined by three pretty reasonable principles: educated choice, genuine equality, and radical authenticity. These principles (which apply to both men and women) imply that all should have access to choices and the tools necessary to make good choices, that all deserve the same opportunities, the same access, and that no one should feel confined to prescribed gender roles. Basically, the modern feminist says if you want to become a lap dancer, as long as that‘s a decision you‘ve made free of external pressure, then that‘s your call. You don‘t have to be sitting in the front row of ‗The Vagina Monologues‘ to be a feminist anymore, and yet less and less young, educated women are identifying with the ‗feminism‘ brand. What is so repulsive about this social label that even in response to a blatantly sexist, sensationalist, and archaic piece of journalism not one member of our bright, fiery community attempted to refute Mr. Delingpole‘s case by arguing in favor of feminism? Why are we beating around the bush? Unlike our silent choir, Mr. Delingpole was quick to raise the issue of feminism, both during the dinner and my interview with him afterwards: ―I think what feminism did was give women unrealistic expectations about what they could expect from life and the world: that you could have a happy fulfilled career and still be a woman and do the mothering thing as well.” Sex inequality under the pretence of ‗pragmatism‘ seemed to be Mr. Delingpole‘s theme of the evening: …. Continued on pg2 Op-ed
Lord Patten Says Make the Most of Your Life By Emma Alexander (Interview by Joy Crane & Emma Alexander; Photography by Joyce Ip) „...Make the very best of the opportunities that your life presents. Make the most of it while you‟re here.‟ These words are all the more resonant when they fall from the lips of one of Britain‘s most successful individuals – former MP, Cabinet Minister, member of the European Commission, last Governor of Hong Kong, Chancellor of Oxford University, and best-selling author – Chris, now Lord, Patten. It is very clear that as young women attending one of the world‘s top schools that we have no excuse but to work hard, strive for success, and be thoughtful of those less able and fortunate than ourselves. On asking Lord Patten to share his views on a range of topics from University tuition fees, the arrival of the A star grade, and tips on public speaking, I found his views not just thoughtful and philosophical, but also a ‗call to arms‘. Whilst the former might be expected from a man in his position and with his experience, the second is perhaps more a reflection of the fact that he is also the Father of three daughters. On the question of A-levels, Lord Patten opined that the reason he felt that the A star was introduced was because ‗... A-levels had lost their gold standard‟ and, as a result, determining the quality of the best students was becoming more and more difficult. „The function of the A star is to help identify the very best pupils.‟ He was crystal clear on his advice that we need to be able to differentiate ourselves from the pack in order to get-ahead and that, in his view, „it is now more crucial than ever to take rigorous subjects for A-level such as Maths and Latin. Competition is so fierce‟. Despite being a humanities graduate himself (he read History at Oxford), Lord Patten was particularly supportive of the drive for girls to take science subjects and admired Roedean‘s strong reputation in Mathematics and Physics. Having given a ten-minute whirl of the rights and wrongs of A-Level choices Lord Patten swiftly moved on to the hot-topic of tertiary education and how it should be funded. Whilst he took it for granted that as Roedean Girls we‘ll all be able to go the Universities we want, he was quick to add that we should be
ready to pay for it; „there should be no cap on tuition fees whatsoever in my view. For every year that we educate an undergraduate at Oxford it costs the University about £8,000. If we want to remain competitive in a global market this has got to change. Certainly, neither the tax-payer nor the Government is going to help and if not them, who?‟ When pressed on the issue of the resultant squeeze on the middle classes that this would cause Lord Patten was unsympathetic, quoting the education system in the US - and elsewhere – where fees are uncapped and yet graduates from all walks of life emerge successful. „Systems grow up to support the financially less well-off‟. Clearly stirred by the subject, Lord Patten went on to discuss the irony of the fact that the „...same middle-class families have been paying for expensive independent schools for their children for many years, and now they grumble at university fees that are still thousands less than the schooling of their child‟. Clearly, the subject of University fees is one close to the Peer‘s heart. As Chancellor of one of the world‘s best universities, I guess it should be. But despite his wide and deeply held views Lord Patten‘s over-riding message was simple; life is short and we all need to make the most of it. We need to work hard, pursue our dreams, and live life to the full and „in the most cheerful way‟. He urged that as Roedeanians we should learn to appreciate all that we have and, perhaps the most telling, „...we should not ever, ever be bored. It‟s a sin. It‟s a sin, given all the chances you have laid out in front of you.‟ So, next time any of us are lying idly staring out of a rain spattered window, or zapping through the TV channels we should bear Lord Patten‘s dictum in mind. Carpe Diem! *To see a full transcript of this exclusive interview, please see the Boudicca Bulletin Board in main school corridor.
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
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THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN EDITORIAL
Public Service Announcement: Dear Air Traveller... By Sheena Cheung With much of the Roedean student population coming from all over the world, airplanes are an inevitable part of our lives as a community. There is always a massive panic when everyone scampers around trying to get their ‗yellow endof-term forms‘ done so that they‘re allowed to leave – and unless a volcanic ash cloud gets in the way, precious little will prevent us students from escaping school on a plane at the end of the term. I travel by air at least ten times a year, sometimes twelve. As a seasoned traveller (proved by my multiple frequent flier cards), I twitch and mumble but queue up anyway (oh the British charm) when encountered with inexperienced, overexcited first-time-on-a-plane or trip-of-a-lifetime-ers. I put up with it with an indulgent smile because once upon a time, I too was that excitable teenager who got psyched up every time before I went on a plane. Yet there are things, things I absolutely cannot stand while travelling because such repeated smug discourtesy becomes grating after the dozenth time. So allow me to point this out to everyone who ever plans to step aboard a flight – it could make the lives of your fellow travellers so, so much better.
before departure on such a packed flight. And then, to add insult to injury, dare demand an upgrade because ―my legs are really long, and I just developed a back problem‖. Then, after that whole slow-moving debacle, who else am I to bump into but you at security? With two carry-ons, a huge coat, and large boots all was fine and dandy, but you really did take your sweet time taking your laptop out of your bag (there were instructions on the posts on the way to the x-ray machines). Unbuckling your shoes and shedding your coat, plonking them in the tray took another minute and half, you then strutted through the archway and oh – oops, alarm. There we go, just a cell phone in your pocket. ―Really, no harm done,‖ except that we then both had to run for our gate because it was unfortunately (through no fault on your account for once) on the other side of the terminal. Never mind that you have a cold and refuse to put on a mask, after being politely requested to do so by your neighbours and the airhostess – you declare ―can‘t bloody breathe in those things!‖ So the rest of us put them on instead and wince as we listen to you sneeze your way through the 12 hours. Also, just because you were blessed with long legs, please at least try to keep them still instead of practicing football under my seat. Last pet peeve and this is the largest one: to all of you who run to the baggage carousel, there really is no need to get that close and intimate with conveyor belt. Everyone wants to get their precious belongings back, but if we would all take a step back to leave a foot of space between the metal and our carts, it would make all our lives easier. You argue that you won‘t get to your luggage in time then – but on the contrary, if your view isn‘t blocked as a result of everyone practising good manners, you won‘t have to scramble as frantically. It also helps us small girls who then don‘t have to hop and dance our way between carts jammed against the carousel, squeaking ―Sorry! ‗Scuze me‖. So dear all, if you‘ve learned nothing else from this Public Service Announcement, please, please try to be a good citizen of the skies.
Dear sir/madam, I understand that the previous 12 hours have been a leg-cramping, headacheinducing, and nauseating experience encapsulated by a slightly suspicious stench of recycled body odour. I know and I sympathise because I was there as well, but there really is no excuse for your unparalleled rudeness in shoving your way past all of the other passengers who had the misfortune of sitting in front of you in your frantic scramble towards immigration. And that wasn‘t the start of it – oh no, because you brought yourself to my attention long before you boarded. I couldn‘t help but notice that you had massive bulging bags when you tried to check them in at the counter. The nice lady tried to explain patiently and repeatedly: ―I‘m afraid you need to repack your luggage, or remove some items from your bags – because that is going to cost you an extra 150 GBP.‖ No one wanted to watch you whinge your way through overweight fees, then Yours sincerely, for an aisle seat when you didn‘t have the foresight to online check-in 48 hours Disgruntled Fellow Traveller
From Front Page: “I don‟t call that sexist. I call it common sense”. Exhibit A: “I go back to the point I made about pay. The fact is, and it will always be so, men tend on average to be the breadwinners of their family. Of course you can find me examples of high-powered lawyers who are supporting their ill-paid husband, but generally, for reasons of biology, women tend to not be the breadwinner.” So lets unpick these inhibiting ‗reasons of biology‘ that shackle us so. In light of the recent spending cuts proposed by the coalition government, 350,000 women will leave the public sector compared to 150,000 men. By Mr. Dellingpole‘s logic, generally, women are biologically pre-determined to fill ‗pink-collar‘ jobs such as those that compose the bulk of the public sector. According to him, that isn‘t sexist. But when these jobs are specifically targeted with full knowledge of the gender ratio, is that still not sexist? Not to mention that women are more affected by the cuts in areas such as housing benefit, cuts in upratings to the additional pension, public sector pensions or attendance allowances, and women benefit less than men from the increases in the income tax allowances. The ‗rational‘ biological justification for these cuts goes something like this: young women get pregnant to scrounge off the government and exploit welfare benefits. Therefore, the feminisation of poverty in the UK and internationally is a product of biology and indolence, not sexist governments. For those of you who are well-versed in such Daily Mail mantra, I have a nasty shock for you: Only a quarter of all adult women (age 18 and older) with incomes below the poverty line are single mothers. Over half of all poor adult women-54%-are single with no dependent children. So here‘s for some cold, rational logic as Mr. Delingpole claims to be heralding: the numbers say it‘s not our biology that‘s holding women back, but the pressure of a very public dialogue that falsely claims it is. However, according to Mr. Delingpole, “We all get good and bad, both sexes, upsides and downsides, and I think they‟re split fairly evenly,” and thus we should view the budget cuts as an isolated ‗down‘, not indicative of some intrinsic imbalance between men and women in society. In a wider context, 2.8% of this year‘s Fortune 500 chief executives are female, and in the FTSE 500 the statistics are even worse: only 1.8% of such companies are led by
PAGE 2 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
women. A report carried out in 2008 reported that 3000 women a year in Britain were being forced into marriage. When calculated using the mean rather than the median, in 2009 women‘s hourly pay was 16.4 per cent less than men's pay for full-time employees, 13.2% less than men‘s pay for parttime employees and 20.2% less for all employees. And I haven‘t even left the UK yet. On the global stage, girls are more likely than boys to be malnourished, suffer poverty, face violence and be refused an education. Is my womb really responsible for all this inequality? This is the war that Mr. Delingpole waged with his article, not one of the petty concerns of public vs private education for girls, but of the concerns of gender equality throughout the world. Mr. Delingpole‘s faulty logic should have put even the great peacekeeping powers of Mrs. King to the test, but was instead met by crickets at the dinner. The dinner guests had challenged Mr. Delingpole on his views on global warming, on state-interventionism, and on the BBC, but not this clearly subjective ―cost-benefit-analysis‖ which was out-rightly sexist. Were we actually the ‗pouting darlings‘ he‘d imagined in his Spectator piece? I shudder to imagine it. My point is this: don‘t let anyone tell you that sexism is justifiable, no matter what the circumstance. In a way Mr. Delingpole was right, the world is an unequal place, but complacency is worse than actively perpetuating evil. To stand-up for the rights of daughters sent to public schools solely because of their gender is to stand up for women throughout the world sentenced to ‗justifiable injustice‘. There‘s a recession and the country is in massive debt, a justifiable reason for spending cuts, sure. But the uneven burden of these cuts shared between each gender is unjust, and the previous rationale just doesn‘t cut it (no pun intended). So when your blood boiled about the blatant injustice in Mr. Delingpole‘s piece, address that anger for what it really represents: anger at the inequality experienced by women all across the world, not only those in your backyard. Let every instance of gender inequality rouse your soul as ―The Son Only Rises‖ did, and dispose of the selfish motivations which makes feminism unsavoury, or worse, irrelevant to you. What you felt was living, breathing feminism, and there is nothing shameful or bitter about it. It‘s called the sisterhood, and you‘re part of it.
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
The Fashion Grilling Miss Pennington kindly took a couple minutes out of her busy schedule to sit down for an interview with Jodie Gough – expect a few surprises regarding fancy dress and a penchant for, er, flared jeans! JG: Do you buy your clothes from? LP: Anywhere! Anything I like, I just buy it! JG: What‘s your favourite item of clothing you own? LP: Ah, definitely my black and white Coast dress! I‘ve worn it a couple of times, it‘s beautiful! It‘s like an Audrey Hepburn number! JG: Is there anything you see youngsters wearing around town that you think looks particularly silly? LP: Ooh, well there‘s only one thing I can think of... those stupid harem trousers where the crotch goes down to your knees! I just don‘t understand them. JG: What colours would you never wear? LP: RED! I have pink cheeks; they‘ll look all red if I do! (laughs). JG: If you were going to a fancy dress party, what would you dress as? LP: Well a couple of years ago I went as Lara Croft... JG: Same! LP: I looked FANTASTIC! But never wear one of those real bullet belts round your waist; they give you huge bruises on your back every time you try to sit down. JG: What do you think of the sixth form dress code? LP: (laughs) I haven‘t noticed! JG: Is there anyone you look up to fashion wise? Maybe someone you‘ve seen in a magazine? LP: I never get time to read magazines! Erm...I can‘t think of anybody! JG: And finally, if you could bring back one item of clothing from the past and bring it back into fashion, what would it be? LP: Flares. Definitely. I‘m a 70s girl at heart.
FASHION
Christmas trends 2 0 1 0 By Vivien Lee After much anticipation, that jolly time of the year has come round again. That time of year where all around the world people are immersed in a festive spirit; decorating their front doors, arranging family gettogethers, singing carols… and, of course, shopping for presents! But even amongst all the last-minute rush, never should one forget to keep up with the season‘s trends to fully indulge in the festivity of it all. Heave those winter coats back out from the dark depths of your wardrobe! It‘s colder now and THE way to balance that fine line between fashionable and comfortable is the Camel Coat, which has been smothering the A/ W10 catwalks with its toffee, coffee and caramel hues: it‘s practical, comfortable, and stylish. Triple whammy. Not to mention it will last you forever. Twinned with the Camel Coat in terms of seasonal trends is the comeback of fur – but keep it faux, people! Faux fur trim and boleros, as well as those adorable boots with the fur lining and pompoms gently bobbing around the laces, are the easy way to drift out of autumn and into winter in a cute and easy way. Knitwear has also made a welcome comeback – obviously! Big knit jumpers, long knit jackets - you could easily match any of the two up with black leggings and boots to create a comfortable, cosy, yet cute outfit, perfect for this winter. The secret to knitted clothing this season is to either stick to one single monotonous colour, or contrast two with wintery patterns (e.g. black and white with snowflakes). Failing that, go to Miss Selfridge and pick up their ‗Sweetie Pointelle‘ cardigan – an adorable knit cardigan with candy coloured buttons. Sheepskin coats are also back in, don‘t be afraid to mix and match them with fur and wool to nail that snug winter look (although my advice would be, don‘t match sheepskin jackets with Ugg boots! Stick to a leather boot or a knitted boot). There‘s also been an growing trend for buttons this season which means the more of them, the better. On your coat, on your shoes, or on your gloves, swap zips and buckles for these cuties – afterall, when you‘re snuggled up in a woolly cardigan the last thing you want is a big metal zip to ruin that home-made aesthetic, isn‘t it? And presently, lace and ruffle details still dominate when it comes to dresses, so look out for them when you next go browsing for a party frock. And lest we forget, only one more month until the January sales!
“Heave those winter coats back out from the dark depths of your wardrobe!”
BestDressed Fashionista of the term: Emma Alexander By Sophie Alof Everyone knows her, and everyone thinks she has a great dress sense: Emma Alexander. She seems to have a closet full of pretty clothes, mainly in the earth tone colours such as green, grey, and brown – ready to strut into winter comfortable and stylish! Knitwear is so big this season and Emma proves that she can carry off the sometimes unflattering bunches of wool with style and aplomb! And God love her, she knows how to accessorise! Bracelets or a few necklaces dress up natural colours and thus the girl never looks like she‘s tried too hard... Thumbs up, Emma! :)
PAGE 11 FASHION
SPORT
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Leagues vs. Schools
Sport Scholar Tires of Playing Grannies
“Despite my deep respect for the elderly, I‟m tired of playing hockey against grannies.”
ROEDEAN & THE OLYMPICS Olympic Records
100m Nini Chikwe (1987) 12.13s
Florence Griffith-Joyner 10.62s (1988)
200m Nini Chikwe (1987) 25.30s
Florence Griffith-Joyner 21.34s (1988)
Sally Griffiths 400m (2001)
63.50s
Marie-José Pérec (1996) 48.25s
2:24.90
Nadezhda Olizarenko (1980)
1:53.43
Paula Ivan (1988)
3:53.96
800m
Phoebe Tomlinson (2010)
1500m Lucy Gibson (2001) 4:59.90 High Phillipa McNaughJump ton-Smith (1990)
1.62m
Yelena Slesarenko (2004)
2.06m
Long Nooyaavo Jump Sarowiwa (1994)
5.02m
Jakie Joyner-Kersee
7.40m
Discus Tejiro Ibru (1995)
28.70m
Martina Hellman (1988) 72.30m
28.50m
Osleidys Menéndez
71.53m
(1987) Kristen Cropper 4x100 Nini Chikwe Relay Louise Ratcliff Caroline Ratcliff
52.43s
(1980 East Germany) Romy Műller Bärbel Wöckel Ingrid Auerswald Marlies Göhr
41.60s
50m Caitlin Boyland Free(2008) style
38.54s
Inge De Bruijin
24.13s
Javelin
Helen Williams (2006)
PAGE 10 SPORT
PAGE 3
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Liberty Guiding the People?
By Gabby Tomlinson Sport is a key aspect to life here at Roedean and it is something that the school prides itself on. We have a good reputation and are very talented at a number of sports; for example, our first netball team is unbeaten this term. However, the senior and intermediate teams of two of our main sports (hockey and netball) play in league matches and not in matches against other schools. It cannot be ignored that playing in leagues has its advantages. One of these being that playing in a league means that there is an extensive fixture list, and Roedean is guaranteed a match every Tuesday evening for netball and Saturday for hockey. Playing in these leagues means that there is a variety of opposition; some teams will be more of a challenge than others and the ages range from 15-60. Moreover, there is the possibility of moving up and down a division in the league so the standard of game is matched to the skills and abilities of the team. However playing in a league is not all a ray of sunshine. One disadvantage, especially for netball, is that some teams don‘t get back to school until 9.30pm on a Tuesday night which, considering the day begins at 8.15am, results in a very long day; not to mention the travelling to and from school for the day girls. This isn‘t healthy. A further disadvantage is that Roedean has few connections with other schools. There is the option of playing against other schools instead of playing in leagues. Playing against schools is socially better, it could influence school choices of future pupils and it would maximise the competition between Roedean and other schools. As Roedean is perched high on a cliff top on the outskirts of Brighton and
Roedean School Records
PAGE 10
school dances are a rarity, we are hardly ‗socialites,‘ but by playing neighbouring schools there may be a solution. By playing different schools pupils can branch out of their school friendships and form connections with other schools. The majority of girls I have spoken to seem to feel that they have very few friends from other schools. There is a danger that Roedean may be isolating itself and it is hardly surprising that many of the girls feel that they barely know any other pupils from other schools in the area. If Roedean did play other schools however this perhaps could be rectified. Playing against neighbouring schools could also attract more pupils to come to Roedean. Any matches played at home would give opportunities for students and parents from other schools to see Roedean as an option for senior school and sixth form. Our incredible school has much to offer and hosting matches would help put Roedean back on the map and make it more wellknown. It has been said that playing against schools would be a disadvantage as there would be no midweek fixtures. But is it really an issue to just play sport on Saturdays? Could Wednesday afternoons be programmed for sport and fixtures? This would help break up the week and it would also mean that midweek matches would finish earlier in the day. Without a doubt, Roedean should play against other schools. I don‘t wish to leave school feeling that the majority of friends I‘ve made in my youth have been only those within the gates of Roedean. However, it is not just about making friends, but also improving our image as a school and playing matches with local schools to enhance our community input. And despite my deep respect for the elderly, I‘m tired of playing hockey against grannies.
“Roedean may be isolating itself”
The Big Plate By Jess Roper It is a well known fact that people who perform high levels of sports each day should have a high intake of calories and therefore have longerlasting energy. As a school with very high sporting standards, Roedean has many students who play sports every day, and are very committed to their matches and training squads. Yet is our school providing these many students with the right amount of food? Kelly Holmes, the British Olympic Champion, has a diet of about 3039 calories each day. I interviewed Phoebe Tomlinson, one of the sportiest girls in my year, and I discovered that she eats about 2200 calories each day. My first reaction to this figure was astonishment; it is well over the average of 1500 calories a day for a teenage girl. However, on discovering just how much sport she does, I was not at all surprised at her calorie consumption. She does around 9 hours of sport each week, including matches and county training: an incredible amount. She has typical diet of cereal, toast, a roast dinner, and a typical meat-and-twoveg supper, with fruit and perhaps some biscuits in between. I compared this to a typical daily diet of Kelly Holmes, who, like Phoebe, participates in 800m runs. With a diet of yogurt and honey, Mandarin slices, a chicken salad sandwich, poached salmon, rice, steamed vegetables, a mixed salad, a bar of chocolate, many handfuls of cashew nuts, and an extra vitamin supplements, it is astonishing to compare the two diets. According to a particular source, active, athletic people should be eating about 60% Carbohydrates, 30% Proteins, and 10% Fats. So is Roedean supplying us with a suitable balanced diet? The fact is, it all comes down to individual choice. Sure, the provisions for balanced eating are available, but no food pyramid or well-meaning house mistress can make you eat well. From the couch-potatoes to the Phoebe Tomlinsons of this school, we all need to stop pointing the blame at those who provide the food and take ownership of our individual diets.
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
Volume III Issue I
The Boudicca Bulletin; Roedean School Newspaper By Clare Ko and YeunJeong Kim Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ Note from editor: This article was written shortly before the rescue of the miners Editor-In-Chief Joy Crane (jc12) If 33 miners can survive with the support of its nation, can more than 21 million people News Editor Serena Esiri-Bloom (se6) & survive under the oppression of its government? Emma Alexander (ea4) The Atacama Desert in Chile, the most arid desert of the world, is a place where the light Features Editors Jamie-Jo Whelan(jw28) & does shine upon a dark underground copper mine, where the rescue of 33 buried Chilean Jasmine Gordon- Brown (jg3) miners is imminent. In spite of being trapped in one of the planet's most dangerous places, Opinions & Editorial Editor Victoria Woo (vw3) Sports Editors Camilla Gibson (cg8) they did not lose their pride and a put on smile to overcome their pain and fear. The Chilean Fashion Editor Aimee Taylor (at8) miners were buried underground in mines in northern San Jose, 700m underground, testing Entertainment Editors Julia Kisray (jk6) their limits and exposing human nature in the primal hopes of wanting to see the sun after 2 Business & Advertising Manager Joyce Ip (wi1) months of suffering. In video footage, people were shown as positive and cheerful. In a Layout Design Sheena Cheung (sc10) narrow space, 50m2, and hellish temperatures, they thanked God and tried to overcome the Faculty Advisor Mr. Back situation. Chilean Health Minister, Jaime Manyalrichi commented that it was the strength of Notes the collective that held them together as individuals. Human pride helped these victims hold melemel, sanami276@deviant art for cassette tape vector and tape on until the last moment; we have to be thankful for the help and encouragement for people in harsh lives. Also, we really do hope that the Chilean government and many others will A thousand apologies to Suryakala Elango, Anastasia Romanova and Amaka Mbagwu—we haven‘t been able to include it this term support the miners after the rescue, especially for their health. immediately. Catch it in our Spring issue! Kim Jong-Il (leader of North Korea) and his government is a modern example of an unyielding dictatorship. It is one where any belief in humanity is extinguished. The government of Kim Jong Il either does not acknowledge or comprehend the feelings of his nation. Many North Korean people are living in desperate circumstances without money, food, freedom or education. Kim Jong Il claimed in a speech that he would improve the people‘s lifestyles, which proved to be just mere rhetoric. People in North Korea do not own property or individual housing. Furthermore, there is insufficient housing in North Korea to shelter everyone even within the confines of a small space. Not only that, most citizens supply their own crops, which means families with more children struggle through even harsher conditions to survive. Future career choices for children are limited. For example, being an actor is surprisingly one of the most secure jobs as it actually guarantees the most income. Also, college students in North Korea too suffer from the crippling stranglehold of their government because the admission is secured by donations not academic merit. However, some upper class children manage to receive tertiary education without working very hard as they can afford the fees. The government of Kim Jong Il is neglecting its people. It is a travesty of justice, for its government is too obsessed with political in-fighting within the one-party state and therefore North Korea is home to the world's worst human rights. We really do think that North Korean people need to know the truth of their own country. They are trapped. Without nourishment, a guiding light, and the whispers of hope from the outside world, North Korea will continue to exist in its tragic state. The Chilean Miners were rescued, but much of the world remains trapped in an even greater injustice, injustice inflicted by man. For the North Koreans, is there escape?
Supersize Society The phenomenon that’s sweeping the nation off their feet and onto their couches. By Sophie Watson Plus sized playgrounds? Absurdity aside, they do exist. Modern society is adapting to the growing number of people suffering from obesity, and this is just one of the ways. A slide in a normal playground for young children would normally measure 22cm. Manufacturers now design slides with new widths of 32cm, an increase of 50% in the last 25 years. The robustness of playground swings is also something that has had to be redesigned, as they are now too weak to support the growing numbers of overweight children. Yorkie Bars and inactivity alone aren‘t the only motivating factors behind these new robust playgrounds: the next generation are becoming taller. But can a slight difference in skeletal structure really account for so much excess weight? Extensive research is being carried out to pin-point the cause of weight problems affecting both adults and children. However, there does not seem to be a single identifiable gene defect explaining the problem. Instead, research points to a cumulative effect of many different genes. A universal solution is proving impossible to find. Cures for obesity seem so varied and obscure, leaving researchers desperate to find some excuse to blame on gene defects. Whilst scientists hopelessly try and pass the buck, obesity continues to eat away at health funding, costing the NHS over £6 billion a year, an amount that could be very usefully spent elsewhere. A large percentage of these costs go towards hospital equipment that has been specially adapted for the growing band of people crossing the threshold into obesity. For example, hospital beds capable of lifting someone up to 25 stone are just not strong enough. New
designs have put the maximum weight up to 39 stone, and these cost almost £9,000 each. A shocking price tag fitting for this staggering global phenomena. The other cost, and probably the most controversial, is surgery. Most operations to cure weight problems (or at least attempt to) are paid for largely by the taxpayer and this has caused extensive debate and conflict. There are cases where operations are carried out on people who don‘t really struggle with weight issues. Many taxpayers understandably believe someone else‘s obesity should not be considered their problem, especially when surgery can easily be avoided. Don‘t get me wrong; losing weight can be extremely difficult. So in an attempt to meet halfway, an idea for a new scheme has been put forward. The scheme involves financial incentives for weight loss. Similar programmes have been successful in America but the idea is far from flawless, particularly in regards to the scheme‘s low potential. People might give up halfway through, making it unsuccessful, or after finishing the scheme and being rewarded with payment, some will revert back to their original weight, rendering it a complete waste. New research, ideas, and schemes cannot keep up with the growing obesity epidemic; science can‘t seem to stop it in its tracks yet. A forecast shows that if no action is taken, nine in ten adults could find themselves obese or overweight by 2050. Eating less and doing a bit more exercise has proved unpopular, so all we can do is wait for the discovery of more schemes and research.
PAGE 3 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
NEWS Reporter of the term:
An Insect Encounter This term, Upper Three Susannah Esiri-Bloom polishes her reporter skills. Mrs. Langley interviewed by Susannah EsiriBloom ―In the 1960‘s my mother worked in a very prestigious hotel called ‗Browns‘. She met many interesting people there, some of whom got up to all kinds of mischief (but we won‘t go into that!) including the Danish royal family, famous film stars and others. As a manager she was one of the first people to hear what was going on, and on this particular day she had to deal with an awkward situation. There was a group of young men in a suite upstairs and they had outstayed their welcome! They were well-behaved and polite (although their guitars made an awful racket), but now the room was needed for a visiting royal and they had to go. So she called them down and explained the situation. Their manager was a bit upset, but they left quietly- without paying the bill! This meant disaster as she would have to pay it out of her wages (as you can imagine this would take a very long time) so she called after the manager and he, rather red faced, came and settled up. Later that evening she was chatting to my father about the sheer nerve of some people. ‗What was the name of the band?‘ He enquired. ‗Oh, some insect or other. I think they said they were called the Beatles.‘ Yes indeed, my mother chucked Paul McCartney and the rest of the Beatles out of a hotel!‖ Want to be next issue’s lower school reporter? Come along to our next writers’ meeting or email JC12!
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
PAGE 4
Day Girl &Boarder Relations in School By Felicity Macleod There has been a huge change in the house/team system of the school which has affected both day girls and boarders. In the past, day girl and boarder relations were occasionally shaky, but this has been mitigated with the return of the House System. It has been greeted both with satisfaction and frustration from the students who had to make the choice between friends and house fidelity. Although initially very confusing, things seem to have settled down well. House activities are more competitive as the houses are a single entity and not a mix of the 4 houses. As a result, some students have reported feeling more at ease and happy with the new system. On the other hand, there is still room for improvement. School clubs run from around 5 to 8pm at the latest and this does potentially exclude day girls who have to take the bus home which leaves at 7:15 on most nights. There is evidence that this dilemma is being addressed, with swimming club now changed to a more accessible time for day girls (earlier) therefore integrating them more into the school community. The House Play auditions did however reflect poorly on this initiative as the buses left at the normal time, thus forcing many day girls to abandon the auditions because of parental transport constraints. The result of this could have been less day girl participation in the House Plays. All was not lost though, as the directors held extra auditions early on Saturday morning for day girls. The 61 day girls were taken less into consideration when it came to the Head of House responsibility. This is understandable as this
“greeted both with satisfaction and frustration from the students who had to make the choice between friends and house fidelity” responsibility requires a girl who fully comprehends boarding life. However, only two day girls were House directors, although unbalanced, is simply a reflection of the amount of the girls who applied for the role. Other positions, such as Head of House Sport, are occupied by day girls illustrating there an equilibrium. Internet allowance has been a constant war waged against the IT department. The 200250Mb limit runs out quite fast, and will run out even faster when loading YouTube videos. There was a hopeful idea that at the weekends the allowed megabytes would double to allow for a little more internet ‗surfing‘ for the boarders however, this is not likely to happen without reducing day girls‘ internet allowances. The extranet that was created last academic year has proved a huge success as it keeps day-girls more in tune with school work thus giving them the same accessibility as boarders, who have access over the week-end. This also enables students to not fall behind when they cannot return to school immediately. Wherever we look there will always be pockets of discontent, but it is undeniable that the school is moving forward. The current report between boarders and day girls at Roedean outlines the importance of a solid, homogenous community which remains a main focus of the school.
THE DIGITAL GENERATION
Did you know? By Amanda Nardi A recent survey has shown that a large number of babies already have a ‗digital footprint‘ thanks to their parents. The survey from the anti-virus company AVG showed that more than 70% of parents (from countries such as USA, UK, France, Japan) have posted pictures of their babies (even under six months) onto social network sites such as Facebook. It has also been revealed that some technologically savvy parents have posted pictures of the xray scans of their babies. Even more astoundingly, 7% of infants already have email addresses set up from their birth. By Sheena Cheung There are tons of new-age, funky names cropping up here and there nowadays that are embarrassing enough to make whoever is unfortunate enough to have a geek as a parent cringe when they get older. Straying away from the traditional John to many spelling variations of ‗Aidan‘ or a Greek mythology themed ‗Ariadne‘ is fine enough—but as the sci-fi generation grows up to have children of their own, their influences from childhood rears its ugly head, manifesting itself in the unfortunate names of their offspring. For example, the name ‗Luke‘ ( after Luke Skywalker) climbed the charts from 228th in the seventies when Star Wars came out, all the way to 42nd today. I won‘t be surprised to meet an ‗Anakin‘ or ‗Aragon‘ in the future either. We only need to sit and wait before ‗Cullen‘ makes an appearance in an elementary school class in 10 years.
PAGE 4 NEWS
PAGE 9
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
ENTERTAINMENT
Crying Over Spilt Milk: Messy Band Breakups By Amaka Mbagwu Roedean pupils are virtually angelic if compared to the celebrities that are battling it out it to stay on the front page of trashy magazines. There are plenty of big-headed stars, especially in the glitzy rock and roll industry, that won‘t stop hogging the limelight. Ex-Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll has decided to reveal everything about the anything-but-shy rock group by releasing a tell-all book leveling criticism at none other than Mr. Noel Gallagher. The book titled ‗Oasis: The Truth‘ discusses his time in the band and the countless arguments had with Noel, who sacked him in 1995. According to him reconciliation is not on the horizon: ―Noel is Noel at the end of the day. I offered the olive branch many times, believe me‖ but Noel, maybe already a little too full of himself, had to have his way: as Noel cried ―Off with his head!‖ McCarroll was booted out of the band without a second thought. Clearly, fame really does pay.
Some rock fans may be wondering if the same type of thing has happened with The Killers as they have been laying low, cancelling many tour dates following the death of the frontman Brandon‘s mother. Perhaps there was a tiff between band members over whose turn it is with the blowdryer. Luckily, there is no need to be distressed; all seems to be going well for the band. With the unexpected release of his solo album ‗Flamingo‘ underway, Brandon has been keeping himself occupied. So what does all drama this mean? Do bands really enjoy reaping the public affection and attention or are the rockers and rollers of our generation just a bunch of undercover softies who actually just enjoy a good rom-com? All we know is that us Roedeanians can now be seen as the toughies when standing next to Ozzy and Mick.
Props to All: Successful Revival of the House Plays By Ellen Thomas Roedean has for years hosted an annual House Play Festival, an event where the shyest Upper Three girl to the most confident drama scholar in the school can take part and go for gold. However, this year, there was a twist. Instead of the typical theme or setting given to inspire the directors, the girls were given a prop to base their plays around. In the last six weeks the whole event was riddled with mystery and tension. From last-minute scene changes to stealing grass from the fields to make up for missing props and a slightly suspicious dummy plot, it‘s definitely been a first term to remember. On the 14th October the directors and cast finally got to see the competition and the results of their own hard work. House Two performed first, directed by Serena Esiri-Bloom and Emma Alexander, receiving many laughs for their high-class criminals, Pizza Girl and, most memorably, the Granny who managed to snag Best Minor Role. We were also bathed in the light of a new star, up and coming Upper Three Susanna Esiri-Bloom who played the main role of the shopkeeper perfectly. Second up was House Three, directed by Laura Brown and Nicki Thomson, who incorporated their prop (a throne) very nicely into their unique setting: IKEA. Of course, in true House Three tonguein-cheek style, Aisha Arden and Melody Lee played a hilarious gay couple, the
C O M I N G Movies:
dynamic duo jointly winning Best Male Role. House Four was third, directed by Gabby Tomlinson and Cammy Cho, whose prop was a pillar. Despite theirs being the most awkward prop out of them all, the directors still managed to walk away with Best Use of Prop. House Four also managed to win Programmes and an honourable mention for Phoebe Tomlinson who played the kleptomaniac granny. Finally was House One, directed by Camilla Gibson and Beth Agar, where we enjoyed something slightly more serious: a love story between two people from two completely different classes. It was most definitely the most moving play and thoroughly deserved to win Best Overall Performance. It addition to this, House One also won Best Lighting and Sound, and well done to Ella McClymont who won Best Overall Actress. Following the adjudication the whole school piled into the studios for a disco, where we were joined by Mrs King who made quite an impression while busting some grooves on the dance floor! As a member of House Four, I‘m quite obviously biased, but putting partisanship aside I can definitely say the positive atmosphere and the friendship built over the course of the term was really something to be proud of. This year‘s House Plays really helped bridge the transition from ‗House‘ to ‗family‘. The bonding experience was noted by all participants, despite house affiliation, a win which proved to be the most valued award. Congratulations to House One and we‘ll see you all again next year!
U P I N 2 0 1 0 Events/exhibitions:
January - The film adaptation of Ishiguro‘s book Never Let Me Go is about sheltered childhood in an English boarding school in the late 90s, and the children‘s strains as they enter the real world. February - Black Swan is the tale of a ballerina (Natalie Portman) who lives with her pushy mother in New York, struggling to make it as a star and going any lengths just to stay on top. May - A noir psychological thriller directed by the lesser known Suki Singh, Emulsion follows a man on a quest to discover the truth about his wife‘s sudden disappearance. July - Our final geeky fix (or is it?) of our favourite adolescent wizard. I‘m already quaking in my boots at the thought of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Pt. 2. October - Poverty, racism and war were but a few things that 1968 consisted of, Matt Norman has written and directed the movie that will retell the fascinating stories of this particular year.
The Natural History Museum and the Royal Pavilion Brighton will be providing an ice rink from now until early January. Yay! Until March, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery houses the free exhibition Capturing Colour: Film, Invention and Wonder so all you cinema buffs have no excuse not to go, especially as it‘s just down the road. Jimmy Carr comes to Brighton Dome in March with his solo show Laughter Therapy (only available to people aged 16 and over). For those die-hard fans of bolero music, Buena Vista Social Club returns to the UK in April performing exclusively at the Royal Albert Hall. Don‘t forget to get your hands on tickets to Big Chill 2011. Go online and sign up to the Big Chill newsletter in order to know exactly when they come out.
PAGE 9 ENTERTAIMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
PAGE 8
Fancy a festival?
Indie-darling Mina Topley-Bird takes us on a well-needed holiday away from the Brighton December rainy weather. Festival junkies, brace yourselves.
By Mina Topley-Bird So you're finally here. After the traumatising journey and the uneventful set up of your tent, you arrive at the only place you really want to be. And that feeling you have? It's not just the alcohol. Even the rain that just dribbled down your face doesn‘t phase you. You're going to ignore the huge beetle that scurried across your sleeping bag, and the humiliating trip over someone else's tent is about to be forgotten. You're at a festival, it's so worth it. You have your boots and waterproof, the beetle will be squished and everyone else is too busy dancing around the campfire like a lunatic to even notice your little fall. You stand amongst hundreds reenacting a scene from Lord of the Rings, a thick layer of grot already collecting on your skin and you know this is just the beautiful beginning. People go to festivals for different reasons, personally I like the bands and adventure. Others go to be with friends or to experience something new, or even just for the atmosphere. Let's assume you're here for the music. After ticking through the necessities on your mental To Do List, you decide to venture out into the world. It hasn't rained (yet) which makes your walk a little bit more enjoyable. And you can hear the bass throb from every tent you pass. Some of your friends wish to make a stop at a tent showing a special Gandalf tribute. Some like the look of the so called "hippy arena". Despite the muffled sound of Flying Lotus spilling out of the arena, you, along with 10 000 others, would prefer to see The Horrors play on the main stage. Did I
mention you're at Bestival? Anything can happen. You find an area lit up with huge cubed blocks of light, where people are chanting together without the help of a beat or instrument. You have found the silent disco. Go over to a booth and exchange a fiver for a pair of headphones (you'll get it back later so no worries if you're feeling a bit skint). There are three channels, each connects to a different DJ that battle it out for the crowd's attention. In the mood for some dubstep? Flip to Channel One and you'll find the Nero remix of La Roux's I'm Not Your Toy. If you're in a light mood, they have Uffie on Channel Two. And there's some old school Cameo on Channel Three if you're more into classic hip-hop. Of course as DJs change, so do the songs so it‘s best to stick around until standing up any longer becomes a painful thought. So you've warbled all the lyrics you know to Giggs, managed to meet and take a picture with Rolf Harris, got lost in the maze at Bestival Woods, danced like a madman at Arcadia‘s Afterburner stage and even managed to see a movie. Now it's midnight, and you‘re standing with loads of other fans as sweaty as you are, watching the umpteenth sound check as you begin to clap slowly in anticipation. By the time everyone around you has joined in, Damien Marley and The Wailers come on stage demanding the millions to put their hands in the air as the sound of screaming fanatics cascades. Now, are festivals worth getting that grimy? Most definitely.
Julia Knows
1.Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Frank Sinatra 2.Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by Jackson 5 3.I’ve Got Ey Love To Keep Ee Warm by Bhllhe Holhday 4.Not Giving Into Christmas by Rediscover 5.Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry 6.Dthna’s Dmas (Interlude) by Chrhsthna Aguhlera 7.What Christmas Means To Me by Stevie Wonder 8.O’ Holy Nhght by Desthny’s Chhld 9.Boogie Woogie Santa Claus by Lionel Hampton Orchestra 10.Jingle Bells by The Puppini Sisters 11.‘Zat You, Santa Claus? by Ingrhd Lucha 12.Christmas TV by Slow Club 13.Try A Little Tenderness by Chris Brown 14.White Christmas by The Drifters 15.Sleigh Ride by Duke Ellington 16.Stop The Cavalry by Jona Lewie 17.Winter Weather by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra 18.I Can Hardly Waht for Chrhstmas by The O’Jays 19.Holiday Time In New Orleans by Various Artists (New Orleans Christmas Jazz)
PAGE 8 ENTERTAIMENT
For a lot of us, acoustic and easy listening songs seem to be the only thing we can bear to listen to as the term finally grinds to a sleep-deprived halt. If this sounds accurate for you, try listening to: Charlie Darwin by All Time Low, Kiara by Bonobo, To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra, Coffee by Motel Motel, White Blank Page by Mumford and Sons, and Somersault (Danger Mouse Remix) by Zero 7 (ft. MF Doom). Have no fear though! After a few short days spent recovering and attempting to attack the pile of holiday work, you‘ll be ready to start the party season. If you‘re planning on becoming the life and soul of the party, it's easy. Just temporarily become a DJ. Be sure to hog the speakers all night long and keep the good music coming. Ditch the Now That‘s What I Call Music volumes, you‘ll be sure to keep the place packed with floor fillers such as: Wile Out (ft. Ms Dynamite) by DJ Zinc, Coma Cat by Tensnake, Hearts On Fire by Cut Copy, Rhythm by Renaissance Men, and I Love London (Goldierocks Remix) by Crystal Fighters. Be sure to mix with some classics that everybody will know and sing along to, such as: Ooh La La by Wise Guys, Barbra Streisand by Duck Sauce, Pon De Floor by Major Lazer, Missing (Todd Terry Remix) by Everything But The Girl, In For The Kill (Lifelike Remix) by La Roux, Why Don‘t You by Gramophonedzie, I Kissed A Girl (Public‘s McFly Remix) by Katy Perry and 2 People by Jean Jacques Smoothie. As always, this holiday will be the perfect opportunity to laze about, to spend sprawled over the bed, and spend hours discovering new songs on music blogs and YouTube. Despite this term being non-stop, Christmas has been on my mind since mid-September when I discovered the song Dream by The Pied Pipers, one of the biggest singing groups of the forties. Listen to it whilst wrapping presents and putting up those final decorations, along with the Christmas playlist featured.
PAGE 5
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Islamaphobia By Morgan Bonson Is it fair to taint all Muslims with the title of terrorist or extremist because of the acts of a small minority of Islamic fundamentalists? Islam is a beautiful, peaceful religion and the readings in the Koran do not call for the destruction of all Non-Muslims. The very word ‗Islam‘ means peace. Islamophobia is the fear of Islam and Muslims. It is typically expressed as religious, political, social and economic intolerance toward Muslims or closely identified ethnic groups. The term first appeared in the late 1980s but became a tremendously significant issue in the new millennium. This was a largely result of the 9/11 attacks in 2001 when Muslim extremists destroyed the Twin Towers in New York, killing 2985 people. This single act contributed towards a whole new era of fear against Islam, not just in America, but worldwide. Many critics across the world have questioned the terminology used to describe this fear, believing that Islamophobia is purely racist and should not be given its own category. However, there are those who state that putting Islamophobia into the racist category demeans the terrible acts of violence by Extremist Muslims on Western cultures. In March 2006 a mosque in Preston, U n i t e d Kingdom, w a s attacked by gangs of w h i t e youths using bricks and concrete blocks. A 16 year-old Muslim teenager was stabbed in the attack. A few months later, the Glasgow branch of Islamic Relief was badly damaged by fire which police said was arson. Is this really how people should manage their phobias? In France, 148 French Muslim graves were desecrated near Arras. A pig's head was hung from a headstone and profanities insulting Islam and Muslims were marked on some graves. Incidents similar to these have been carried out against Muslims around the globe, too many to mention them all. But all of these acts have one thing in common - they are sickening and cruel. They highlight Islamophobia and the destruction it brings, a hatred of the same nature as the original perpetrators of 9/11. There have been many occasions where pilots or passengers on an aircraft have refused to fly because of the religious beliefs of individuals on board. For instance, in August 2006 British passengers on board a flight from Malaga to Manchester requested the removal of two men of Asian descent from a plane. According to a spokesman for the Civil Guard in Malaga, "These men had aroused suspicion because of their appearance and the fact that they were speaking in a foreign language thought to be an Arabic language, and the pilot was refusing to take off until they were escorted off the plane." A security sweep of the plane found no explosives or any item of a terrorist nature. The men later responded, "Just because we're Muslim does not mean we are suicide bombers." Because of the suicide bombers, some citizens of western nationstates have bowed to stereotypes when it comes to appearances and religions, making it extremely difficult for many law-abiding, peaceful Muslims. Has it really got to the point where we, as citizens of the world, are too scared to travel on an aircraft in case another passenger is Muslim? In 2005 on July 7th, there were a series of coordinated suicide attacks upon London‘s public transport system: 52 civilians were killed and approximately 700 people were injured. The four suicide bombers were all Muslims and motivated by Osama Bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda. On the 5th October 2010, Pakistani Faisal Shahzad, calling himself a Muslim soldier, pleaded guilty to ten counts of possession of weapons for trying to bomb Times Square in New York with a car packed full of explosives. Fortunately the detonator failed and the lives of thousands were saved. As he was sentenced to life imprisonment with no parole he defiantly warned the court: ―Brace yourself, the war with Muslims has just begun. The defeat of the U.S. is imminent, Insha‘allah.‖ (meaning God willing in the
“A pig's head was hung from a headstone and profanities insulting Islam and Muslims were marked on some graves.”
NEWS
Where are the good guys? Arabic language). Unfortunately these are the sort of acts that may ma ke p eo p l e Islamophobic, but do two wrongs make a right? As a result of Islamaphobia, the civil liberties of Muslims are being affected. In 2004, France banned the Islamic headscarf in schools. Should France have the right to do this? France is well-known for its strong historic secular tradition, but some believe that this ruling is a step too far which actively threatens the civil liberties of its citizens rather than protecting them. Other claim it‘s an empty gesture to score political points for president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is exploiting the far-right sentiment and backlash to multiculturalism which has cast a shadow over one of the most progressive nations in the world. I lived in Saudi Arabia, a Muslim country, for seven years and I had to abide by the rules of Islam by wearing the abaya and keeping all of my Christian beliefs to myself. I also had to learn about the Koran and Islamic culture in school, as well as learning to speak Arabic. So when you look at this example, should France not be allowed to ban the headscarf the same way a strict Muslim country bans the reading of the Bible? Are we not merely asking them to respect our beliefs, just like we do theirs? Another example of this is in Sweden. Swedish voters have decided to ban the building of future Muslim mosque minarets. The Muslims within Switzerland and abroad have complained that this targets Muslims as a political enemy of t h e state. However, on the other side of the coin, some Muslim countries b a n t h e worshipping of Christianity and the building of churches. It is, however, peaceful Muslims who want to build a mosque near to the site of the Twin Towers (Ground Zero). Many have asked whether it is right for any Muslims, however unaffiliated to the original attacks, to build a mosque several hundred feet from where thousands met their deaths at the hands of Muslim extremists. Many people believe that this act is insensitive and inciting racial hatred, such as Terry Jone‘s threat to burn the Qur‘an. Shouldn‘t we be able to move on from the past, acting in a mature fashion allowing Muslims to build near Ground Zero? Former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin wrote "to build a mosque at Ground Zero is a stab in the heart of the families of the innocent victims of those horrific attacks". She also called it "an intolerable mistake on hallowed ground". I personally wouldn‘t call it a ‗mistake‘ but I do agree that it would greatly affect the families of the victims and therefore the decision should be left in their hands. To what extent are we capitalising on the wrongs of a minority of fundamentalist Muslims, to justify racism towards the general peaceful Islamic population? The western world has taken an extreme swing towards shunning Muslims from society, as has an increasing proportion of the Islamic-world towards Americans and western democracies as a result. It takes two to tango, and in this dance of ideological war we are the audience. Against a war of ignorance and extremism, we all must fight for civil justice and pluralism with words, minds, and actions of peace.
“To what extent are we capitalising on the wrongs of a minority of fundamentalist Muslims, to justify racism towards the general peaceful Islamic population?”
“The very word „Islam‟ means peace.”
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Serena Esiri-Bloom gives us her angle: What first struck me when I arrived at Roedean in 2005 was the strong sense of community and individuality in all of the girls. The school‘s environment seemed to encourage the girls to seize their independence; both academically and in their extra activities, which they participated in eagerly. I looked up to the 6th formers, as most of younger girls did then.They were the demi-Gods of the school and were partly responsible for the vibrant ambience that had lured me to Roedean in the first place. Each student at Roedean is unique and has their own talents, and I quickly discovered that all the students shared one thing in common: their enthusiasm to learn. SMH bubble, and isn‘t expecting the worst just human nature? But the larger Indeed, they dived into every challenge that they approached question here isn‘t just about the individual SMH girl‘s experience. It‘s about with that ‗jolly hockey stick‘ Roedean girl flare. Recently the origins of this inaccurate and misjudged image of the Roedean girl, and however, many senior girls have expressed the view that the how it has managed to endure into the 21st century. traditional Roedean girl has changed significantly. In contrast to the stereotypical Roedean image that has brainwashed many, Some say that the atmosphere has become more mainstream. there are some ignorant people who have no clue whatsoever. This is the Girls file into school reluctantly second view: the people who think and the once desired weekend that we are a) boys or b) convicts. activities became compulsory clubs The number of times, whilst before finally fizzling out. There travelling past the school on a bus used to be a sense of the old ‗gung that I have heard ‗oh, that‘s that ho‘ willingness to involve oneself famous boys‘ school, isn‘t it?‘ or in everything the school had to ‗oh look, there‘s the young offer. Where did this Roedean offenders institution up on the cliff spirit go? Admittedly there has, as there‘ is just unbelievable. How By Lily She-Yin people can be so unaware of such a We may complain about Roedean food but here‘s some food for thought: once upon Mrs King said in an interview I held with her on the subject of the prestigious school on their a time, puddings consisted of... ‗Roedean girl‘, ‗been change doorstep is just unfathomable to indeed.‘ In 2005 the house system me. These are the people that get Boiled baby‘s arm was compressed; the Six Ones were us all completely wrong, thinking Dead baby‘s arm displaced from their Keswick that we are pubescent hooligans Frogspawn haven and all of the younger years being disciplined for stealing PS3 Garbage pudding were placed in two houses, games. Lawrence and Tanner main, as However, the third view is less Worms on toast opposed to four. Old Lawrence was comical and slightly unnerving. It suggests that the ladies at Roedean It‘s a shame that we have lost a lot of the amusing vocabulary traditionally used by closed. But the most unsettling change for Roedean ‗veterans‘ get up to some rather, well, the girls in the past. Here is some Roedean slang from the 1950s: came in 2009 when we merged unladylike things a mongst with St. Mary‘s Hall. Many of the themselves - to put it nicely. ‗pump handles‘ – handshaking senior girls felt as if their strong Through some simple research on ‗scrum tables‘ – break community was being ‗diluted‘ by the internet, certain ‗songs‘, or ‗prison‘ – Roedean a different type of girl. Enthusiasm ‗ditties‘ if you will, cropped up soured into apathy and the Roedean posted by alumni of various other ‗guillotine list‘ - names of girls housemistresses wished to see after lunch girls‘ typical school and team spirit well-known independent schools. KCYS - kindly consider yourself squashed was dented. One anonymous woman writes: I posed some of these worries to ‗Years back ... we used to play BUFF - best united friends forever our headmistress in our interview [hockey] against Roedean and had the Roedean‘s reputation is not just ‗that posh school on the cliff‘‘ (though that‘s held before half term. Mrs. King pleasure of taunting probably quite a popular one, along with ‗Hm? Never heard of it‘). ‗Fictional Old responded to my hints at the upheaval that has taken place in them with [a previously Roedeanians‘ include: recent years and suggestions that mentioned] ... song‘. Saxon‘s wife in Doctor Who consistency is fundamental in I‘m sure it did wind up producing confident and unified the Roedean girls back a distant relation of Tarzan girls. She said that although in the day, with a Bond girl circumstances within the school insinuations and have changed it was ‗necessary for ac cusations most Now how are we are perceived by the rest of the world… the stability of the school‘ and scandalous. I must (specifically the merger with St. interject here and say, Mary‘s Hall) has meant ‗our future is secure‘. This was a comforting thought, we were not the only school for which songs like this existed; considering that many of the decisions that have been sprung on girls in the there are alternatives for just about all the other private girls‘ past have felt schools including Cheltenham Ladies College, Beneden and spontaneous, Haberdashers‘ Monmouth, but it still begs the questions of how adding to the people formed these ideas about Roedean. And more to the point, a n x i e t y how do we, as Roedean girls of today, want to be seen by the generated in the wider world? Do we want to be those snobbish anoraks of the student body. traditional stereotype or the girls of loose morals, as the songs Many still feel, portray us? It‘s our choice, the decision of whether or not to myself included, challenge these representations of ‗the Roedean Girl‘ is in our that the unique, hands. Is it necessary to continue in the shadow of these outdated outspoken and mythical girls, or should we be stepping into the light and Roedean girl is showing the mislead public what today‘s Roedean girls really not jumping on represent? Personally, I favour the latter. all the platforms
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The Roedean Girl
Who is the modern Roedean girl? Is she the laughing gal on the cover of the glossy prospectus or a drone tied to her desk? Two sixth formers, Serena Esiri-Bloom and Vicky Cowlett, explore what makes us us. By Vicky Cowlett and Serena Esiri-Bloom Roedean, with its esteemed reputation, eventful history, and dominant position on the seaside cliffs of Brighton, has long turned out a certain calibre of young woman. You can immediately recognise an Old Roedeanian by her confident demeanour, articulate diction, and tendency to voice her opinions loud and proud. But our image is changing. Victoria Cowlett, 6 1, who joined the school last year when she transferred from St Mary‘s Hall tells us how her perspective of the typical Roedean girl has changed since coming here. Serena EsiriBloom , 61, has also written her angle on this topic, with the unique but contrasting view of a student who has been at Roedean since U3. Vicky Cowlett tells all: I would say there are three ways in which people see the Roedean girl. The first is probably the most common: the traditional, clichéd preconception of a girl at a private girls‘ school. On finding out that we were to join Roedean back in February 2009, some of us SMH girls were wary to say the least. The image of plaits and pinafores sprung to mind and visions of blackboards and wooden canes came alive. You don‘t have to live in the Brighton area to know the reputation and prestige of Roedean, and so, by coming from just down the road, playing sports matches, and participating in inter-school competitions, we were well aware of the stereotypical image and academic excellence of Roedean girls. This just escalated the anxiety. After all, the stereotypical ‗private girls‘ school girl is rich (and well aware of it), snobby, ridiculously clever, well rounded in all disciplines, a goody-twoshoes...well, I could go on forever. Although, in retrospect, these stereotypes proved to be untrue, it makes sense that many of us were apprehensive; we all thought that we would be stuck in a school where the corridors are filled with the sounds of lace up shoes on the cold, wooden floor, with the only noise in the classroom being the sound of chalk on a blackboard and, God forbid, we would have to consume an unidentifiable grey gruel three times a day. Well, maybe not quite like that, but you get the picture. Our expectations of Roedean and the truth could not have been further apart. As it turned out, our new classmates were just normal girls, much to some people‘s disappointment. We thought we would be intrigued by this new species of girl we were to encounter: a girl whose most pressing problem would be whether twelve pages of Latin verb exercises was enough extension work. In any case, we all knew we would be taken out of our
“The image of plaits and pinafores sprung to mind and visions of blackboards and wooden canes came alive”
“Where did this Roedean spirit go?”
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Fact Dean
Ever wanted to know what Roedean was like ‘back then’? Then read these interesting facts…
“they dived into every challenge that they approached with that „jolly hockey stick‟ Roedean girl flare.”
they are offered, instead choosing to shy away from the limelight. Mrs. King reassured me slightly by saying ‗after selecting a girl we try, as best we can, to honour our individual commitment to her throughout her time at Roedean.‘ I am glad that Roedean remains willing to cater for the individual, as with the new goal being to ‗strive for excellence‘ the original vivacious girl is at risk of being unrecognised in the masses. The fact that Mrs. King looks ‗for differences in girls‘ because ‗in order to build a strong community that is diverse you should choose individuals. Why look for the same?‘ is something that will stand us in good stead for the future. Another thing that put my mind a little more at ease was last year‘s return to the House system. I think this was a real gesture t o wa r d s p o s i t i ve progress, particularly in light of the bonds that formed during the house play period. Wh en we we r e separated into Teams it was difficult for the older and younger girls to intergrate and form close relationships. Even now, there is still a significant lack of boarders in the younger years, the years when you get up to the most mischief, and consequently get the most out of the boarding experience. But after witnessing how each house came together for house plays I am confident that this will be compensated for by new inter-year relationships. This new house spirit will, in turn, be passed on to the day girls and is a vital component of that ‗oh so unique‘ Roedean atmosphere. Mrs. King feels that the l in ks b e t we e n smaller House communities and their respective communities in sport, drama etc. will allow the school to be ‗supportive of each girl‘.
“Do we want to be those snobbish anoraks of the traditional stereotype or the girls of loose morals, as the songs portray us?”
“For it isn‟t the grades that make a school, it‟s the girls that get those grades”
In my first year in the sixth form, I now feel hopeful for the Roedean girl. Whereas in the past I wondered if we would remain independently-minded, now I can see a pride in the collective re-emerging in the ranks. It is imperative that the school continues to select pupils with individuality and talent, not just on their academic capability, to aid its revival. For it isn‘t the grades that make a school, it‘s the girls that get those grades. We don‘t want to disregard the factors that make Roedean such a spectacular place to learn, or we may end up losing them altogether. Don‘t forget to show your school spirit for it‘s the school spirit that has kept the Roedean corridors alive for so long.
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