All schools have values or mission statements. If we don’t take the next step to reflect on them we may miss the really useful applications within them.
Take ‘RESPECT’ for example—the first in BSSCs ‘ROLE’ anagram. The Macquarie Dictionary describes respect as: ‘to show regard or consideration for’. This infers taking the time to ask: do we think about, speak to, and act towards ourselves, others and our belongings with awareness of their inherent value? Do we really understand how much we depend on family, friends, teachers, our interests, our health—or even classrooms, our books, phones or computers?
How we interpret ‘RESPECT’ is seen in what we say and do with what we claim to value. Care about your friends? Look out for them. Care about having handy tech devices? Look after them.
However, all schools also have legally-defined edges to their responsibilities. This differentiates between public liability and individual responsibility. In a nutshell these documents reveal the big difference between the roof falling in and a student having a technical device stolen. Roof falling in? Not your fault. Computer stolen? Unfortunately, as in the Big World, this is the responsibility of its owner. A school, university or an employer might be very sympathetic about such a loss but is not required to replace it. (See the College policy below.)
Okay, so you might not be able to stop a thief being a thief—or a disaster occurring—but we can all make such losses less likely by looking out for, and caring for, the people and things we value.
BSSC Policy: Private Property Brought to the College
Private or personal property is often brought to school by students, staff and visitors. This can include mobile phones, calculators, toys, sporting equipment, and cars parked on school premises.
As the Department does not hold insurance for personal property brought to the college, and has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property, students, staff and visitors are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuable items to school.
