A STOMPer had written in about what she claimed to be a furore over the refusal by the principal of Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' Secondary (PLMGSS) to allow American band Click Five's surprise visit to the school, following a radio contest on 98.7FM, which the school apparently should have won.

According to the STOMPer, the objective of the radio contest was to find out which school in Singapore had the most number of Click Five fans.

She said that Click Five merchandise, in the form of the band itself, would be delivered to the winning school.

The STOMPer said that although the band had gone down to CHIJ St Joseph's Convent and Zhonghua Secondary, students from PLMGSS were sure they had more Click Five fans than any of the two schools, one of which had only 140 fans.

According to the STOMPer, it turned out that PLMGSS indeed had the most number of Click Five fans in Singapore, but the principal had disallowed the band's visit.

The STOMPer said that apparently, the programme manager of 98.7FM had gone down to the school twice to seek permission from the principal to let the students meet the band for one hour, but she (the principal) declined.

The STOMPer said that the principal had addressed the school on the issue, citing reasons about how the school should not idolise celebrities and even stated that she had gathered more than 3000 signatures from the school alumni amd teachers to support her decision.

The STOMPer added that the principal had stated that the incident had tarnished the school's reputation and had apparently suspended two students over the issue.

The STOMPer said in her email to STOMP:

"Are schools in Singapore so inflexible that students are not even allowed to join contests using their school's name?

"The students of PLMGSS themselves have also gathered signatures to declare that they fans of the band.

"Is it fair for the principal to gather disapproving signatures without telling the students?

"Is it fair for the principal to ask for more than 3000 signatures, knowing that the school's cohort does not even add up to 2000?

"What is the point of the principal for getting the signatures to prove to the students that the Click Five should not step into the school when clearly, a word from her is sufficient?

"I do not see the point of the school going autonomous when the pupils themselves do not have a say in the school.

"I would also like to question the if true, unreasonable suspension of the two girls."

"It was meant to be a harmless event. Students voted for a chance to win Click Five merchandise on a radio website, but this ended up with a sweet twist for the fans – the celebrity group themselves decided to pay the school with the highest number of voters a visit.

It was not so for students of Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' Secondary (PLMGSS), much to their ire and disappointment.

A STOMPer wrote in to shed some light on this incident, which centred on the principal's disapproval of Click Five's surprise visit to the students, following a radio contest on
98.7FM, which the school apparently should have won.

The STOMPer, whose cousin is a PLMGSS student, says she feels strongly about the issue and hopes to provide readers with more details so that they can in return, give constructive feedback.

She says that students of PLMGSS had participated in a radio contest on 98.7FM and were promised Click Five merchandise delivered to their school if they could prove through a petition that their school has the most number of Click Five fans in Singapore.

The STOMPer says that the reward later turned out to be the band appearing at the schools instead.

PLMGSS came out tops by clinching 493 signatures, followed by Zhonghua School and CHIJ St. Joseph's Convent.

However, the STOMPer says that when the students found out that Click Five had visited the other two schools and not theirs, a call was made to the radio station and they were told that their principal did not give permission for the band's surprise visit.

The STOMPer says that the principal was apparently aware that her decision had sparked a furore among her students and addressed them on the last day of school last Friday (26 Oct).

According to the STOMPer, the principal had said that the students should be focusing on their studies at that time of year and doing well for themselves and for the school, instead of signing an online petition and supporting the band.

The STOMPer disagrees, pointing out that signing a petition would only have taken 10 minutes or less and that the students could not be expected to "study 24/7".

The STOMPer goes on to relate what the principal had said in her address to the students, where she (the principal) brought up the issue of the 3000 signatures she had gathered from the school alumni to support her decision.

According to the STOMPer, the principal said that the school is a community of 3000 people, made up of the students themselves, teachers, the alumni, non-teaching staff and parents, hence the students should get everyone to agree before making any decision.

The STOMPer told STOMP that this policy is apparently not always practised as sometimes the students' opinions are ignored.

The STOMPer also says it was not fair for the principal to include non-teaching staff and parents when seeking support for her decision, and questions if all parents actually do not approve of Click Five visiting the school.

With regard to the principal's comments on how the students should have sought permission to invite the band to their school, the STOMPer says that the students were not even aware that the band was coming, thinking that all they were getting was Click Five merchandise.

The writer adds that the DJs from 98.7FM had already asked for permission from the PLMGSS principal.

According to the STOMPer as well, the principal apparently disapproves of the students idolizing celebrities and thinks that this is improper behaviour.

The STOMPer says that the students were also discouraged from participating in the Campus Superstar competition and joining the debate programme, The Arena, on Channel 5.

The STOMPer wrote in her email:

"Seriously, they are an autonomous school, students should have a say too right?

"Yes I know, provided it's a reasonable one.

"But which part of signing a petition to support Click Five is unreasonable?

"I don't see why Zhonghua and St. Joseph can allow this and PLMGSS cannot.

"If the school wants to soar, the principal just have to learn to take things in the new-fashioned and open-minded way, not just worrying about girls tarnishing the school."

Taken from stomp.com.sg


Being a graduate from PLMGSS, something like this happening is really nothing special for a school like PL. PL has always being a strict school, setting many rules and regulations for her students. As a school with long history, Mrs Lee, the principal (not sure if current principal is still her) would like to make sure that the culture of PL will not change. Compare to my time and now, the students in PL are much better off. They can keep their hair long while at my time, our hair cannot be longer than our collar, fringe cant be longer than eyebrow, if so, we have to put on a hair pin or hairband. etc...

Of course, letting a band visiting the school is giving a break for the students, but is it the right time for it when the O level is nearer. The principal's way to doing may seems to be autocratic, but Im sure its for the good of PL lites. The prinicpal's way to handling this situation can be said to let parents of the fellow students have faith in the school; giving them assurance that PL is not like other school in the present days. Students and parents are not the "customers", if the school has it right to make decision and PL lites have to duties to obey as a student.