October 15, 2007 12:00am
THE bullying, harassment and cattiness in new Australian hit comedy Summer Heights High is a spot-on portrayal of what really happens in our schools, teachers say.
The controversial ABC comedy, which debuted in August, has come under fire for storylines involving ecstasy deaths, Down syndrome children, homosexuals and elitism.
But the trials and tribulations of its three central characters – Pacific Islander student Jonah Takalua, private school princess Ja'mie and effeminate drama teacher Mr G – are as close as possible to the real thing according to Queensland Teachers Union spokesman Steve Ryan.
"I don't think you can fault the portrayal of school life and I think it is a good illustration of what teachers have to endure on a daily basis," said Mr Ryan, a former teacher at Beaudesert High.
"From our point of view, that show is great because it demonstrates why state-funded schools need a lot more support in terms of additional aid or teachers.
"A good example is the over-worked guidance officer character. Many schools don't even have access to someone in this role. I think (show creator Chris Lilley) deserves the highest praise for the way he has brought attention to the federal funding situation in the public system."
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St James College English and religion teacher Dennis Borzellega, who recently moved to Brisbane after working at a Sydney state school, said the show was so accurate it should be studied as part of the senior syllabus.
"The senior syllabus at senior level is often about the marginalisation of people and that's what we see with the characters in Summer Heights High," Mr Borzellega said.Summer Heights High has become a huge hit for the ABC, averaging about 1.2 million viewers a week and crushing timeslot rivals Damages (Nine), Prison Break (Seven) and Life (Ten).
"If you read between the lines and look in closer detail you see that the show deals with a lot of that sort of thing."
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