Xavier College, in Kew, was responsible for most of my secondary education. The (illegal) behaviour of a contingent of their students yet again today is nothing short of reprehensible and contemptible. While I hold no particular affinity for my old school, it does sadden me that the school itself is now inescapably described as “notorious” in your news article.
My contemporaries are now lawyers, doctors, pharmacists, senior treasury officials. While these professional outcomes would certainly have been encouraged and desired when we were all at school, I do not believe the environment there was particularly conducive to producing them. This is because the archetypal Xavier student – the sporting jock – is recognised by the school as its and rewarded as such. These leaders go on to espouse the Ignatian ethos of being “men for others”. Unfortunately, these men are the said same who fail to realise that before you can call yourself a man for others you must first earn the title of a man.
And so to my sadness; I hold a great affection and gratitude towards my teachers. The Jesuits are deservedly recognised as renowned educators. They truly do instil in their students (or, at least, the ones who are responsive to it) a capacity to think for themselves. They do not deserve to be repaid for their endeavours by the bad press created because of the criminal behaviour of some of their charges. Sadder still is that, if this letter is published, I will be disowned and pilloried by the school, at least privately and that this will cause them further controversy. But what about this controversy is not deserved? What have I said that is not true? Surely something needs to change. It is a rotten state of affairs.
Malcolm Thomas, Class of 1997
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