9th February, 2016
Parents are withdrawing their children from schools due to concerns over a program that the Australian Christian Lobby says endorses students cross-dressing and promotes other "radical sexual concepts".
Developed by Safe Schools Coalition and Minus18, the All Of Us program is described by its creators as a resource for teachers that aims to "increase students’ understanding and awareness of gender diversity, sexual diversity and intersex topics". But the ACL says the program pressures children into accepting "LGBTI concepts" and confuses students about their identity.
Spokesperson Wendy Francis said that under the All of Us program, students are asked a series of questions which "singles out" students who may hold different opinions about sexuality or who may not have yet formed an opinion.
"Students then have to explain why they hold a different view in front of the class and teacher and are coached to alter their views…" she said. "Making a public example of children on controversial sexual matters is a form of cultural bullying."
Among those parents who have withdrawn children from schools over the program is Victorian mother of four Cella White who had pulled her son and daughter from Frankston High School in Melbourne’s south. In a statement released by the ACL, she said the material from the Safe Schools Coalition "exposes my children to questionable information that is neither convincing nor conclusive".
She told the Herald Sun this week the program "isn’t about safe schools – it’s transgenderism and gay activism brought into class".
The ACL also quotes Perth mother of four Emily McKenna saying that she will now be home schooling instead of sending her children to the local school as a result of her concerns over the material.
"My concern is that parents have made their progressive views known and are keen to support promoting LGBTI views on our children," she said. "If my children stayed in that environment I could see that they would be sidelined and bullied for their traditional beliefs."
Ms Francis has urged parents to inquire whether their children’s schools have signed up to the "Safe Schools agenda". "If it has, parents should be speaking out loudly in defence of their children by pressing the school to withdraw from the dangerous program."
Funded by the Australian Government and, in Victoria, the State Government, the Safe Schools Coalition has 490 member schools across the country.
– DAVID ADAMS
