Schools rename Father’s Day because they don’t want to upset anyone who might feel differently
A SYDNEY school has changed Father’s Day to Parents’ and Carers’ Day, prompting at least one call for the principal to be sacked and the school closed down.
NSW
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A SYDNEY school has changed Father’s Day and Mother’s Day celebrations to Parents’ and Carers’ Day in case children of same-sex couples, single parents or foster carers are uncomfortable.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Yeo Park Infants School in Ashfield hosted a Parents and Carers Breakfast for both Mother’s and Father’s Day without making reference to either gender.
But even the Diversity Council Australia has labelled the move unnecessary.
“I do think that we need to recognise and celebrate the role of fathers and I would say particularly to the school that has renamed it completely — what’s the harm of mentioning fathers?” Diversity Council Australia chief executive Lisa Annese said.
“What you’ll find is for most same-sex couple families or families with a non-traditional dynamic there is usually a father figure or some kind of father influence.”
Ms Annese’s comments — from an organisation that champions inclusive cultures — come on the back of a string of schools changing the names of Father’s and Mother’s Day.
Steven Greaves, executive officer of the NSW Parents’ Council, said the idea to name Father’s Day celebrations something else was “loopy”.
“This is absolutely political correctness gone mad. It is naive to think the roles of mothers and fathers are identical, and to lump them together in one non-gendered description is dangerous,” he said.
“For the sake of political correctness it runs the risk of eroding the unique and special role each gender makes.”
National president of the Lone Fathers Association of Australia Barry Williams said the move by some schools was “shocking”.
“These schools ought to be closed down or the principals sacked,” Mr Williams said. However, Paul Wallace, acting principal at Fairfield Primary, said he had welcomed the change.
“This is the third year we have had the change of name and its genesis came from wanting to embrace whatever family make-up those in our school community have,” he said.
A NSW Education Department spokesman said the decision of Yeo Park Infants School to rename Father’s Day celebrations was “made with the school community”.