Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: I'm shocked by Nick Hill's rugby argument
Heather du Plessis-Allan DriveSummary
Nick Hill, the principal of Christchurch Boys' High, faces criticism for his recent comments linking school rugby recruitment to sexual offending. In a letter to fellow principals, Hill argues that recruiting talented young rugby players fosters a sense of entitlement that can lead to problematic behavior. His views are influenced by Australian activist Chanel Contos, who has highlighted cultural issues in elite schools related to sexual misconduct.
Critics of Hill's stance argue that his conclusions are overly broad and unfairly stigmatize young athletes. They contend that rugby recruitment provides opportunities for underprivileged boys to access education they might not otherwise afford. Many believe that while Hill's intentions may be good, his reasoning draws an unjust connection between sports recruitment and sexual entitlement, potentially alienating a significant number of young men who participate in the sport.
Show Notes
Nick Hill is the principal of Christchurch Boys’ High School, and I have no doubt he is a very good headmaster with the best of intentions. But I am not exaggerating when I say I am shocked by the argument he seems so keen to advance. Last month, he wrote an article for the Herald, and this month he has doubled down on those views in a letter to principals. In that letter, he urges schools to stop recruiting rugby players, arguing there is a link between the recruitment of talented schoolboy rugby players and sexual offending. He says his thinking has been influenced by Chanel Contos, an Australian advocate who has written about allegations of sexual offending by students at an elite Sydney school. Her argument is that this behaviour stems from a broader cultural problem in some schools, where boys are taught to feel entitled. Nick Hill argues that rugby recruitment can reinforce that sense of entitlement. He says when schools recruit a 14-year-old because of his rugby ability, offer him a scholarship and treat him differently because of his sporting talent, what is he learning? He learns that talent brings special treatment. I can't claim to know any schoolboys talented enough to have been recruited for rugby scholarships but I doubt they are all, or even many of them, sexual offenders or sexually entitled. On the contrary, I think school rugby recruitment is often a very positive thing. In many cases, it gives young men from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to attend schools and access opportunities they otherwise would never have had because their parents could not afford the fees. I suspect many people will read both the article and the letter and be offended by the link that has been drawn here. As I said, I think Nick Hill means well but the connection he has made stretches credibility and is, frankly, unfair on young men. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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