Newsletters

News from Mr Grady

Hello Everyone,

This week preparations are underway for a celebration of Pride Day on Monday 28^th.  I am so pleased that we will be celebrating this day, and look forward to seeing the different ways in which students adorn their uniforms with the colours of the rainbow, and celebrating that everyone is welcome and important in the RHS community, celebrating too, everyone’s differences and that everyone’s voices are heard, encouraged and shared.  In preparing for this newsletter, it reminded me with some sadness of my own school, that, so excellent in so many ways, was not a place where everyone was welcome, and indeed any discussions about love, relationships or curiosity were very one-sided, did not accept alternative views and were, to all intents and purposes shut down. 

There was no sense that if you had questions, if you wanted to understand different experiences, or find people who may have similar experiences that you would be supported to find them, or encouraged to support those of the LGBTQ+ community.  In fact, there was a very real sense of: “Let’s not talk about it.”  Even as I read that sentence back, it seems ridiculous.

I am so very glad that we do not have such a mindset at Rugby High.  Everyone’s journey, experiences and self-discovery is going to be different, but I do know that we want students to be able to have those conversations, that in celebrating Pride on the 28^th, we are saying quite clearly, that everyone is welcome in our community and we want to hear their voices. 

If they haven’t felt like sharing them with us, or think there are better ways to share them, then our Pride celebrations will hopefully encourage students to feel comfortable to share their experiences, to understand what it is to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, and also for everyone to understand what it is to share our community with warmth, kindness, care and respect. 

In addition, we are encouraging students to share the LGBTQ+ figures that inspire them and to that end I would name my friend PJ who, when he came to my wedding, said to myself and my wife, “don’t worry, myself and my boyfriend won’t hold hands or anything during the day, in case we make other guests uncomfortable.” To which we replied “anyone who would feel uncomfortable by two men holding hands at our wedding would not be welcome.”  They came, they held hands, and danced outrageously all night (as indeed did I) and not a single person cared, which is exactly as it should be.

With very best wishes, stay well and safe everyone,
Mr Grady