One in three backs Hanson’s ‘indoctrination’ law push, says SAASSO survey

Teachers should be accountable for LGBTIQ+ lessons say South Australians who support the senator’s bid to let parents challenge schools.

One in three parents back Pauline Hanson’s controversial push for laws aimed at ­protecting children from ­indoctrination in schools, a South Australian survey has found.

But the results show some who support the move don’t agree with the One Nation senator’s views that gender ­fluidity is “unproven” and man-made climate change “debatable”.

Senator Hanson caused a stir in February last year when she introduced her Bill. It seeks to tie federal funding to mandatory “balanced” teaching opposing views, saying children were at the mercy of “far-left loons” in classrooms.

Her Bill argued that parents should be required to give consent before their child is taught about LGBTIQ+ and took issue with everything from “skewed” history lessons to unisex toilets and children’s book The Gender Fairy.

She said her Bill would give parents “legal rights to challenge inaccurate and biased teachings in the courts and to have their views taken into account at school”.

Senator Pauline Hanson says teaching LGBTIQ+ issues should be subject to new national laws. Picture: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

More than 800 people – mostly parents, but about 40 per cent who work in schools – responded to the SA Association of State School Organisations survey, aimed at informing a submission to a Senate committee inquiry due to report in July.

School staff were slightly more likely to be supportive (34 per cent) than the overall figure of 32 per cent.

SAASSO director David Knuckey said participants’ comments showed there was more concern about teaching gender than climate change.

But in some cases it was clear people voted for “more parent engagement and greater accountability”, without having any issue with current teaching of those topics.

“In ­recent memory, SAASSO hasn’t received any ­complaints from parents concerned about their children being indoctrinated (on any topic),” Mr Knuckey said.

Comments included: “I agree parents need more rights in their children’s education. Still, this sounds homophobic.”

Another parent said: “I’m against gay bashing, and climate change is science, but anything to make schools ­accountable.”

Many comments derided the Bill, such as, “What next, intelligent design?” and “When did we become America?”

Others said children needed protecting from the “gender-pushing minority”.

Some respondents called for calm, saying current regulations already safeguarded against indoctrination.

Legal experts last year said the Bill faced insurmountable constitutional hurdles – let alone political ones – making it largely a publicity stunt.

Ms Hanson’s office was contacted for comment.