Parramatta’s Northmead Redbank Early Learning Centre Pride lessons for children slammed

A Western Sydney childcare has come under fire for celebrating Pride Month with infants and youngsters, with one mother pulling her child out.

A council-run childcare centre has come under fire from upset parents for teaching toddlers about Pride Month including celebrating LGBTIA “diversity”, rainbow painting art and “dress ups in gender equity”.

The Northmead Redbank Early Learning Centre, operated by Parramatta Council, caters for babies from six months old to pre-schoolers and told parents that for Pride Month it wanted to be “promoting inclusion and embracing diversity during this celebration”.

The note stated it was “celebrating Australia’s diverse LGBTQIA+ community”.

“This celebration encapsulates love, friendship, acceptance, equality, inclusion and diversity.”

Families were told staff would “steer clear of sensitive subjects” and they could request alternative activities for their infants and youngsters, but parents say they did not get access to the program until the Friday before it started.

The Parramatta childcare program includes discussion about topics like “What is Pride?”

The Parramatta childcare program includes discussion about topics like “What is Pride?”, self identity and “What makes us feel love” and stories include “Celebrating diversity in families” and “rainbow painting art”.

Under “dramatic play” the toddlers and pre-schoolers will be taught “Dress ups in gender equity for all children … we are the same but different“.

One mum complained to management and the council, but was told “it’s about inclusion”. She pulled her child out of the centre.

“Children who had parents who wanted to pull them out (of the Pride celebrations) had other books but with such small numbers the obvious ideological brainwashing would be there,” she said.

“They didn’t seem to agree with me that Pride is a political movement that has no place for four-year-olds We have since removed our child from the centre which caused inconvenience for us but believed it was needed to make a stand.”

Bella d’Abrera.

The Institute of Public Affairs Foundations of Western Civilisation Program director Dr Bella d’Abrera said “kids need to be kids”.

“It is not for staff of Northmead Redbank Early Learning centre, or any childcare centre, to be pushing their views on to children so young,” she said.

“Parents send their children to childcare to be looked after, not to be indoctrinated by staff in radical gender and social justice theory.”

Women’s Forum Australia chief executive Rachael Wong said the program promoted “harmful gender confusion in children”.

Women's Forum chief executive Rachael Wong.

“We have a broader cultural problem where children are being sexualised younger and younger, which urgently needs to be addressed,” she said.

A council spokeswoman said children were “not taught about LGBT issues” and parents could opt out of any programming during the year.

“Council seeks to create an inclusive environment at its childcare centres where every child and parent feels welcome and supported,” she said.

“During Pride Month, the centre focuses on age-appropriate activities like painting and dance that celebrate being yourself, inclusion and friendship.”