A school in Australia has apologised for asking pupils to pay extra money to not wear multi-coloured clothing at a non-uniform day.
Greystanes High School in Sydney said pupils who wore an item of ‘rainbow’ clothing were expected to donate $1, while those who did not were expected to donate $2. Students also had the option to pay nothing and not participate, by wearing normal uniform.
Mark Latham, a Member of the Australian Parliament, said the idea amounted to ‘political punishment’ of students over identity politics.
Punishment
Greystanes High School held the non-uniform event to promote LGBT issues.
A New South Wales Education Department spokesman said the school had apologised for the “poorly worded letter” to parents.
‘political punishment’ of students over identity politics.
Mark Latham MP emphasised that the school needed to treat everyone equally, and not punish those who feel uncomfortable wearing LGBT colours.
Coercion
The Christian Institute’s Education Officer John Denning said: “No one, let alone a child, should be coerced into supporting a cause they don’t believe in. That’s the principle the Supreme Court judges upheld in the Ashers’ case.
“Similar events have taken place at schools in the UK. Christian kids and others who feel they can’t go along with it turn up to school in uniform and find themselves marginalised or even bullied, because they disagree with the pro-LGBT message. Their friendships with other young people who identify as homosexual or transgender are damaged.
“If, when it is age-appropriate, schools decide to deal with controversial topics, they shouldn’t be promoting particular viewpoints but educating pupils – equipping them to draw their own conclusions based on an objective and critical consideration of a range of views.”