Unfortunately for the v. exclusive Ravenswood School For Girls, that moment was broadcast loud and clear by school captain Sarah Haynes at the school’s speech day, and a recording of her off-script presentation has been making the rounds on the interwebs today.
After explaining how she had been censored by the school in previous speeches for admitting the school wasn’t 100% flawless, Haynes said “if a school can’t admit it’s not perfect, how can they expect a group of extraordinary adolescent girls to realise that perfection is unattainable?”
What follows is a relatively candid exploration of her past mistakes – well, it’s as candid as you can expect from the captain of a school that charges nearly $30k a year; Hayne outlines the time she copped a detention, bowed out of Geography and wore a skit with a hemline above the kneecap.
“The only dangerous thing about mistakes, which I think Ravo may have lost sight of this year, is not being able to recognise and admit to them,” she said to her outgoing class.
The internet, naturally full of bright young things, has taken the sentiment and run with it.
#THIS #preach https://t.co/brVT0KahjY
— Scott Dawkins (@dawkins_scott) December 7, 2015
What. A. Baller. https://t.co/ynq7iRCaZ0
— Ezme Webb (@EzWebb) December 7, 2015
Watch this Sydney schoolgirl call bullshit on the carefully crafted image of perfection at an elite private school https://t.co/MZROOEIZ38
— Reopen Our Schools (@SkyeMooster) December 7, 2015
While her speech is unlikely to inspire frothing waves of support from the proletariat – and there is a certain irony in her misgivings that said private school functions primarily as business – Haynes’ speech gives credence to the feelings of inadequacy all Aussie students have had at some point, but also affirms the fact those mistakes can be built from – and “the person who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.”
You do you, Sarah. Watch the whole thing below:
