Prestigious Adelaide all-boys school supporting transgender student

A transgender student at a private Adelaide all-boys school has shared her story with her peers, with the school offering its support to assist her to complete her education at the school. 

Prince Alfred College (PAC) headmaster Bradley Fenner wrote to parents about the news on Tuesday, following an assembly that day where the student spoke about her situation to the rest of the 150 students in her grade.

He said she embodied the school’s motto of ‘Fac Fortia Et Patere’ (Do Brave Deeds and Endure) by speaking to the group.

“I thought it was very powerful when she spoke to her peers — to the other year 12 students — on Tuesday,” Mr Fenner said.

Prince Alfred College, which is associated with the Uniting Church, was founded in 1869 and is located on Dequetteville Terrace, just outside Adelaide’s CBD, in Kent Town.

It is known for its sporting success, with cricketers Greg, Ian and Trevor Chappell attending the school.

Mr Fenner said the student had shared her journey with her close friends over the past 12 months.

“Overall, we’ve been really pleased with the response; the boys have been very respectful and supportive,” he said.

“She’s had some great messages from amongst the student body and staff and the wider community as well.”

While he said there had been some questions and he expected opposition to having Alice stay at the school, Mr Fenner said the school had “a clear sense of what is right in this situation”.

“We have a commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and those things cannot just be words on the page,” he said.

Support critical for transitioning students

Jane Russo is the South Australian representative for Transcend Australia, an organisation which supports parents and carers of transgender, gender diverse and non-binary children.

She said many schools now had policies in place for dealing with the complexities around transitioning and non-binary students, but it would be a more difficult for single-sex schools.

She said the school supporting the student was the most important thing.

“They should be supported to get through year 12,” Ms Russo told ABC Radio Adelaide. 

“They have female teachers so they might need to look at that young woman using appropriate toilets.

“There’s not much to do apart from being supportive and the community — both parents and students — going through this life change.

“It doesn’t have to be an over-complicated process.”

Sorel Coward went to an all-boys school before becoming a transgender Anglican priest in country South Australia who also works as a counsellor with transgender people.

She said Mr Fenner describing the school as “supporting” the student rather than just “allowing” her to complete her school was an important difference in language.

“We know that the importance of support is absolutely critical,” Ms Sorel said.

“Children in this age bracket who are coming out are 17 times more likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers if not supported.”