On Friday, Oct. 13, to kick off the Homecoming festivities, the entire Upper School engaged in a non-traditional assembly.
Throughout the hour-long assembly, guest speaker Mike Horowitz touched on many topics related to consent and how it plays into sexual education. He also often looked to the audience for volunteers or responses, allowing the experience to be an “interactive presentation” rather than a lecture.
Upper School Counselor Kathy Roemer, who contacted and scheduled Horowitz’s speech, was inclined to bring him to Greenhill based on previous experience with his presentations.
According to Roemer, when students learn about sexual education, the full scope of consent in relationships is neglected. She says that most presenters push the message of “what to do and what not to do” rather than the “why”.
“I think Mike does a really good job of actually talking through and getting kids thinking,” Roemer said.
Additionally, Roemer says these discussions should not be one-time occurrences.
“People think that there’s ambiguity and gray areas, how to actually get consent is challenging,” Roemer said. “I think that most presenters don’t teach kids about it.”
Roemer would want Upper School students to leave the assembly with at least one takeaway,
“It’s about respect for yourself and for someone else. I would want them to walk away How do I respect myself and my partners in any relationship?’” she said.
Roemer says she also appreciated the fact that it was a male voice since it lessens the polarization of genders on this subject.
“In our culture, it becomes boys and girls. And it becomes one gender is bad and one gender isn’t – that’s where the conversation usually goes,” Roemer said. “I think he does a great job of not doing that.”
