Forest Lake State School stops names on senior shirts to protect privacy and boost inclusion

In a bid to make all students feel included, another Brisbane school has stopped a long-time tradition for its graduating students. What do you think? Have your say in our poll.

Students and parents of a Brisbane primary school have been left disappointed by the axing of a senior class tradition this year.

Year 6 students at Forest Lake State School will no longer wear the full list of classmates' names on the back of their senior shirt as had previously been tradition.

The move, however, was made to protect the privacy and identity of some students and to ensure all students were made to feel included.

The explanation of why the change happened was recently shared with families via email after it was met with pushback.

“Firstly, every parent or guardian needs to consent to having their child’s name on the shirt.

“Secondly, there are a number of privacy factors which impact on parent willingness to give consent,” the email read.

“There are often factors which mean consent cannot be given.

“Thirdly, the discrimination act encourages us to operate in an inclusive environment,”

The email said the school decided to move away from the names on shirts tradition “so that those students, who are most vulnerable in our community, and through no fault of their own cannot have their name on a senior shirt, are not alienated or made to feel invisible, as though they do not belong.

Forest Lake State School Year 6 students will this year debut a new type of senior shirt, which will no longer feature names of the graduating class on the back. Photo: File/ David Nielsen

“While this is disappointing for students who have looked forward to this tradition, the senior shirt will indeed be unique, three will not be another senior cohort of 2021 and the design of the shirt is unique itself.

“This will be a valuable memento for students as they look back.

“In addition, as a result (of) fundraising in 2020, the P&C is funding the total cost for every student to receive a senior shirt for free.

“I cannot in good conscience offer a shirt to those students whose names will not appear on the back and feel that I have made them included.

“It has been suggested that first names only be used.

“We have many students from divers cultural backgrounds with unique names and students whose spelling of their name would lead to clear identification.

“So this is not a viable solution either.”

While some parents said they understood the reasons for the change — which is understood to have made its way through a number of Brisbane primary schools in recent years — others say their children have been left disappointed.

Mum Jelena Rosenberg said her little girl was left in tears by the news.

“My daughter just moved to this school this year with her siblings and the one thing she was excited about was the Year 6 shirt,” Ms Rosenberg said.

Forest Lake State School. Picture: Richard Walker

“When I told her there will be no names on it she was upset and cried about it as this was special to her being her last year.

“I’m absolutely shattered about this because her old school is still doing names on shirts.

“I’ll be sending my child to school with a permanent marker so her new friends can write on her shirt.

“I just don’t understand why no names are allowed as domestic violence is always going to be around and people that didn’t want their child’s name on should have just opted out, instead we all suffer because of a few people that didn’t want their child’s name on.

“I was never asked about having or not having names on and a few other mums and dads I’ve spoken to as well never got that option. It seems to have just been a school decision, not parents.”

“The P&C are paying for them so they are free for parents but I find that extremely insulting as I feel I should have the option to have my child’s name on the shirt.”

An Education Queensland spokesperson said the decision was aimed at ensuring all children felt equal.

“Forest Lake State School encourages an inclusive environment and P&C fundraising efforts

will ensure all senior students receive their shirt, designed themselves, for free.

“Arrangements for senior shirts are school-based decisions and every day in state schools,

principals respond supportively to the needs of their students.”

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