PLANS to introduce a program in schools that promotes same-sex relationships, transgenderism and bisexuality are concerning parents, according to FamilyVoice Australia (FAVA).
The Safe Schools Coalition program, which is already operating in 135 Victorian schools, including two Catholic schools, was rolled out nationally on June 13 by Senator Scott Ryan at a function in Melbourne. The program, which encourages schools to stop dividing students into boys and girls groups and to allow students to use toilets and change rooms of their “preferred” gender, is an abuse of taxpayers’ money, according to FAVA research officer Ros Phillips.
“We are appalled that taxpayers, via the Federal Department of Education, are funding this dangerous program to the tune of $8 million,” she said.
The program aims to create schools free from bullying based on sexuality or gender identity, but Mrs Phillips said bullying at schools rarely occurs for such reasons.
“It ignores the majority of bullying victims, who suffer bullying because of their body shape, intelligence, religion or racial background,” she said.
“It is clear that the real aim of Safe Schools is to normalise homosexuality and transgenderism. All students deserve a safe school environment, but the Safe Schools Coalition is not the way to achieve it.”
The program provides, among others, resources to schools to develop an “inclusive uniform policy that explicitly acknowledges gender diversity”. It also recommends that schools plan to teach about same-sex attracted, sex and gender diverse people and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex histories and events.
Director of Perth’s LJ Goody Bioethics Centre Fr Joseph Parkinson told The Record while Catholic schools would support tackling bullying in schools based on sexuality, the Safe Schools Coalition appears to strive for something more.
“Part of the proposed strategy for providing protection for same-sex attracted students is a review of curriculum and a review of school culture and general school practices which would be unacceptable in a Catholic understanding of sexuality,” he said.
“While Catholic schools would certainly try to provide the safest environment possible for students, they will not, under any circumstances, embrace the more marginal aspects of these sorts of policies.”
Fr Parkinson said research has shown the number of school students who identify as gay or lesbian is minimal. “In my view, it would be quite wrong for any school to provide education in sexuality that positively reinforces gay or lesbian identification, because the data shows that students at secondary school simply aren’t settled enough in their sexuality,” he said.
Parent David Lowe told The Record he was very concerned about the program being adopted in his children’s schools.
“My children should not be subjected to this brainwashing,” he said.
Mr Lowe, whose three boys are in Years 3, 6 and 10 in local public schools, said he would feel a mixture of emotions if the program was implemented in any of his children’s schools.
“I’d feel enraged, uneasy and sorry for the children who are subjected to this, their innocence would be further stripped away,” he said. “Basically, I’d feel my children were being abused by this program.”
The Safe Schools Coalition program will be implemented in New South Wales and South Australia this month, before expanding to other States and Territories.