Indigenous NAIDOC week school poster complaint by parents at NSW primary school

A simple colouring-in poster project for a Year 1 student at a NSW primary school has sparked parental complaints and question in parliament.

Colouring-in posters given to Year 1 students at a NSW primary school accusing Australians of genocide have been called “indoctrination” and “propaganda”.

The posters, promoted as part of NAIDOC week at a primary school in central west NSW and displayed on a school hall, sparked a complaint by a parent and were raised in NSW parliament by One Nation MP Mark Latham.

The posters depict raised fists and state: “White Australia has a Blak History, No Pride in Genocide, Stop the Lies! Stop Stealing Our Kids, Blak Lives Matter!”

One concerned father told The Daily Telegraph he felt the posters contravened the Controversial Issues in School policy and were totally unsuitable for young children.

“They should not be a part of the curriculum,” he said.

A controversial colouring in poster given to Year 1 students at a central west public primary school, sparking complaints by parents for stating "No Pride in Genocide".

“It’s wrong.”

Mr Latham, who raised the issue in the NSW parliament with Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, said the material was “age inappropriate”.

NSW MP Mark Latham has raised parental concerns about inappropriate lessons. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“It’s age inappropriate, teaching small children to hate Australia and buy into left-wing propaganda,” he said.

“It’s another unnecessary example of indoctrination in the education system.”

IPA think tank’s Foundations of Western Civilisation research fellow Brianna McKee said the material was an example of schools being used as indoctrination centres by activists to recruit a new generation.

“This is clearly inappropriate material to be distributing to Grade 1 students, or students of any age for that matter,” she said.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says schools need to stick to age appropriate lessons. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“This is yet another example of our schools being used as indoctrination centres by activists who are seeking to recruit a new generation to their cause.

“Classrooms are there for students to gain skills and knowledge that will assist them in life, not to indoctrinate them with the belief that Australian is a bad place with institutions riddled with racism.”

The Controversial Issues in Schools policy states public schools are meant to be neutral places and controversial issues should “not advance the interests of any particular group” and material must be age appropriate and relevant to the school’s purpose.

It also states parents should be informed in advance about such material, and that anything of an “overtly political nature must not be distributed to students unless the material is for study purposes and is relevant to the delivery of the curriculum”.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell responded to questions about the material by stating: “It is my expectation that all schools use age-appropriate resources when teaching.”

A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the colouring-in sheet had been “developed by the National NAIDOC Week Committee”.