Safe Schools to be debated in NSW Parliament with State Liberal Epping MP Damien Tudehope
SCHOOLS should promote a general approach against bullying, rather than the Safe Schools program’s focus on gay and transgender children being the most vulnerable.
Northern District Times
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SCHOOLS should promote a general approach against bullying, rather than the Safe Schools program’s focus on gay and transgender children being the most vulnerable.
That is the view of Epping state Liberal MP Damien Tudehope who will call for major changes to the controversial program when State Parliament debates its merits on Thursday.
Mr Tudehope will open debate on behalf of 17,500 people, mostly from the Australian-Chinese community, who signed a petition against the federally-funded program.
They say the program, designed to prevent the bullying of homosexual and transgender children, overrides their rights as parents to educate their child on gender identity and sexuality.
Mr Tudehope said the state had not transparently consulted school communities on Safe Schools’ introduction and there was no opt-out mechanism for those who did not wish to participate.
He is due to put those points to parliament on Thursday.
“When parents actually see that material, there are concerns raised,” Mr Tudehope said.
“Those concerns can lead to significant divisiveness among the school community.”
Education Minister Adrian Piccoli is required to respond to the petition.
Mr Tudehope said his view was schools should be encouraging empathy on a global basis.
“We don’t allow bullying of small kids, tall kids, fat kids, whatever. That is a general approach school can adopt,” he said.
“It doesn’t need a specific program that just targets gay kids or transgender kids and identifies them as the only potential victims of bullying.
“We say bullying generally is unacceptable and we want an attitude in schools where we won’t tolerate bullying in any form.”
Cheltenham Girls’ High School attracted national attention earlier this year when some parents complained of Safe Schools activities they were not notified of.
They said students who chose not to participate were being marginalised.
Mr Tudehope said his representations related to many cultures and school communities across the state.
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