A very worrying legacy of closing schools during pandemic lockdowns has been a shortening of the attention span of pupils, with consequent deterioration in behaviour. This makes huge difficulties for our overstretched teachers. This is a time when schools will have to make herculean efforts rebuild the habits of consideration for others, good behaviour and discipline.
Strangely, the headmaster of the Harris Westminster Sixth Form in London has chosen this moment to order pupils to desist from addressing beaks as ‘sir’. Instead, they must preface any remarks with the teacher’s title and name, excusing themselves first if they are not sure of the name.
The reason given for this imposition is because ‘Sir’ evokes respect and compares unfavourably with the female staff alternative of mere ‘Miss’.
Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to be called ‘Miss’ but in the Army we called female officers ‘Mam’ which just as respectful as ‘Sir’. Perhaps this woeful headmaster might have thought a bit more carefully and come up with this military solution instead of guff about a “better and more equal world”.
I suppose it could have been worse. I’m told there are schools where they embrace familiarity and the beaks are referred to as Pat, Bill, Chis and even Nicky. We all know what that breeds.
Sir Desmond Swayne TD
