Eltham East Primary School backflips on decision to ban Christmas gifts

A state primary school in Melbourne’s northeast has backflipped on a decision to ban Christmas presents in a Kris Kringle between students amid concerns about offending non-Christians.

Eltham East Primary School has backflipped on a ban on a decision to ban Christmas presents in a Kris Kringle.

A state government primary school has backflipped on a decision to ban Christmas presents in a Kris Kringle between students amid concerns about offending non-Christians.

Eltham East Primary School said in a letter to families earlier this week that “no food or Christmas-themed items” were to be given as gifts for this year’s Secret Santa among year five and six students.

The rules were emphasised in red text to further make the point.

But just hours after the Herald Sun sent questions about the issue to the Department of Education on Wednesday, the school’s principal Warren Lloyd sent a clarification email to parents saying he apologised for the “oversight”.

“We requested that no food or Christmas-themed items were selected. Christmas-themed items are very welcome,” Mr Lloyd said.

A parent, whose children attend the school, told the Herald Sun she was angered at the school’s initial email.

Eltham East Primary School said in a letter to families earlier this week that “no food or Christmas-themed items” were to be given as gifts.

“It was my understanding that this decision was originally made so it wouldn’t offend non-Christian students,” the mother said.

“I’ve heard that this is also happening at other local schools and it’s a woke ideology trying to interfere in what originally is a religious holiday that people who aren’t even religious follow and observe.”

The Institute of Public Affairs Foundations of Western Civilisation Program director Dr Bella d’Abrera said: “Every year, like clockwork, left-wing activists in our schools and institutions find an excuse to cancel Christmas.

“This is political correctness gone mad. What have we become as a society if activists’ cancel culture now extends to cancelling Christmas for year five and six students?

“Christmas is a time which brings out the best in people, yet this example shows activists will continually look for ways to denigrate our shared values or force their views on our children,” Dr d’Abrera said.

The Department of Education has not widely banned Christmas gifts at schools, including Eltham East Primary School.

The Herald Sun previously revealed Christmas and Easter would not be celebrated in some childcare centres under new inclusion guidelines that move away from an assumption of Christianity.

Advice from the Community Child Care Association had suggested terms such as parent, mum and dad should be replaced with “guardian” and Mother’s and Father’s Day with Special Person’s Day.

Last year, a small group of Stonnington residents had slammed their local council for removing the word “Christmas” from its “inclusive” holiday messaging.

Originally published as Eltham East Primary School backflips on decision to ban Christmas gifts