Burwood Girls High School: Anger over gay parenting documentary ‘Gayby Baby’

THE backlash to a Sydney school’s plan to force students to watch a film on gay parenting has started with Education Minister Adrian Piccoli ordering the school not to show the film during classtime.

Julie Bishop, who visited Burwood High School on Monday, said parents concerned about the LGBTIQ event should raise their concerns with the school.

• Pupils required to wear purple and watch ‘Gayby Baby’ documentary

• Show explores gay parenting as a rainbow flag flies in the playground

• Parents slam school for taking political stance on the issue

• Education department says film should be screened after school hours

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PARENTS are angry that a prominent government high school had organised for its 1200 students to watch a documentary on gay parenting instead of normal classes.

Burwood Girls High School sent a flyer to parents last week saying all students would attend a special screening of the documentary Gayby Baby during periods two and three on Friday. Students were instructed to wear purple, with purple cupcakes served after the movie.

But after a backlash from parents, including outrage at the flyer which depicted a young, shirtless boy with a tattoo on his chest, principal Mia Kumar yesterday offered parents the option to exclude their daughters from the screening if they notified the school in writing.

NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli has now directed the Department of Education to ensure the film is not shown in school hours, telling told 2GB Radio on Wednesday while the schools accepted diversity, “schools are not places for political issues to be aired”.

“During school hours we expect them to be doing maths and English and curriculum matters. This movie is not part of the curriculum and that’s why I’ve made that direction,” Mr Piccoli said.

He also admitted that he hadn’t seen the film, which follows the lives of several children with same-sex parents.

A still from a the documentary film Gayby Baby / Picture: Supplied

A still from a the documentary film Gayby Baby / Picture: Supplied

Presbyterian Minister Mark Powell, who runs a local youth group said “many parents” were upset about the cancellation of lessons to­ ­attend the movie, by ­former student Maya Newell.

“This is trying to change children’s minds by promoting a gay lifestyle,” Rev Powell said. “Students are being compelled to own that philosophical view by wearing certain clothes and marching under a rainbow flag.

“Schools are supposed to be neutral and cannot propagate a political view.”

MP FLOODED WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT GAY PARENTING MOVIE

A letter Burwood Girls High School sent to parents.

A parent, who wished to be identified only as Daniel, said he was concerned the film was “pushing an alternative view and was pushing my view and my daughter’s view (of traditional heterosexual parents) into a minority”.

“The school definitely has gone too far — this is not in the curriculum and they have no right to teach my daughter this type of thing,” he said.

Islamic spiritual leaders also criticised the timing of the screening on Friday, a day when Muslims including high school students hold congregational prayers.

Imam Mohammad Trad said: “ This is an issue that should be a conversation ­between parents and their children.”

Some parents feared their children would be ostracised or criticised if they did not participate. The parents said that no opt-out opportunity had been offered at first and students were all expected to “wear purple in support”.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said he had reminded the secretary of his department that the government “expects schools to remain apolitical places and that schools must comply with all departmental policies”.

Julie Bishop, who visited Burwood High School on Monday, said parents concerned about the LGBTIQ event should raise their concerns with the school.

In a school newsletter Burwood Girls High deputy principal Karyn O’Brien said the Wear It Purple campaign, started by ex-student Katherine Hudson, was supported by a growing number of schools to “raise awareness of ­issues faced by LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer) students and ways that schools can provide a safe, supportive and empowering environment for rainbow youth”.

Girls were encouraged to wear purple with “a prize for the ‘most purple’ student”.

In the invitation sent to parents the school’s principal Mia Kumar said the event was part of Safe Schools Coalition NSW - a program to stand against homophobia - and that students could opt out from viewing the film

Foreign minister Julie Bishop, who visited Burwood Girls High School event for a forum on women in leadership, said parents concerned about the LGBTIQ event should raise their concerns with the school.

A still from a the documentary film Gayby Baby / Picture: Supplied