Learning Josh

 ’NO GARY NO…………………NO GARY!!!’

After watching Gary Rego – Head boy of Corpus Christi, make his graduation speech on Youtube, it brought me back to when I was head boy of Woodvale in 2004. I can definately say this guy has boldness and courage, and his graduation speech was probably more interesting than mine.

This guy has made the local headlines because of his ‘abusive’ and disrespectful comments that he has said about his principal and deputy principal. Realistically, it was probably a slow news day which is why this made news. He also makes reference to peers who died in a car crash in August and his comments proved to be insensetive towards the families involved. After reading hundreds of comments from viewers and readers, it seems like half of the people applaud him for standing up for what he believes in and the other half deplore him for being so disrespectful and selfish. His peers have commented too and are mostly embarrased and ashamed of what he has said.

For the whole year, Rego has been in this leadership position. I’ve got to ask, ’is Rego a good leader?’ Well we don’t know him personally (although I think I know a cousin of his at uni) and he is only 16 years old but judging from the speech he has made,  I have made a list of good and bad leadership attributes of Rego.

• THE GOOD ATTRIBUTES
  * A strong public speaker - It’s great when a leader has a good, clear and manageable voice when they are public speaking. He also uses hand gestures to express what he means. Some might say he is being over the top with it though.
  * Bold and courageous – Yes, it took guts to say something as controversial like that and with such expression. I don’t think I could do that!
  * Connected to what’s going on – He is obviously not an emu putting his head in the sand. What he said about his principals was probably a reflection of how many students in his school feel about them. I talked to a work mate who went to CC and he would agree that the principals were pretty bad.
  * Exercising his democratic right – Legally, he hasn’t done anything wrong and he is entitled to free speech. But there really is a time and place for everything. A graduation dinner is NOT.

• THE BAD ATTRIBUTES
  * Just plain disrespectful – The school has given him a role that represents the school body. To talk like that about the leaders above you shows complete disrespect and insensetivity. By all means, you don’t have to agree or like the teachers or principals appointed above you, but there is a time and place.
  * Selfishness and arrogance - I wonder what was going through the head girls mind? Just because you want to make an attack towards the principals, don’t bring everyone else of equal leadership to your level. You can’t really see the expression on her face, but she would have been humiliated.
  * Lack of wisdom – If he had exercised judgment and common sense, he wouldn’t have been in such a pickle. He didn’t have the guts to show his teachers his speech before he presented.

If I was in his place, I too would have been dissapointed at the administration but I wouldn’t have expressed it in such a disrespectful way. After all, why is the principal on holiday when the year 12’s are graduating? I would have probably made a joking comment about the principal being away and wishing we could swap places. I believe that even though we don’t get along with our leaders, you have to respect them. And also, when it’s your turn to lead, you would want the same thing.