Parents slam pride and Indigenous flags on Cheltenham school’s puffer jacket

Cheltenham Secondary College has been accused of using students as “billboards” after featuring the two flags on the public school’s new puffer jacket.

Cheltenham Secondary College’s decision to include the pride and Indigenous flag on a school jacket is under scrutiny.

Parents at Cheltenham Secondary College have accused the public school of pushing a “political cause” after adding a jacket to its uniform that features the pride and Indigenous flags.

The two flags are embroidered on the arms of the puffer jacket, one on the right and the other on the left.

The jacket includes the school emblem and the words “respect”, “responsibility”, “personal best” and “community”.

It’s non-compulsory and costs $89.95 to purchase.

It’s understood some students have removed the small patches, unstitching them or blacking them out with a marker, effectively breaching the school uniform policy.

The pride flag is on the left arm.

And the Indigenous flag is on the right arm.

Penny, whose 16-year-old son attends the bayside college, said she was disgusted.

“They won’t let you wear it if you have blacked out the flags,” she told 3AW.

“I think the fact that they have those flags on a school uniform is disgusting, it’s not right,” she said.

“It’s a school, it’s not a political statement … why do specific people get things on the uniform?”

Others took to social media to vent their frustration about the decision.

“A stupid and distracting action by Cheltenham Secondary College whose staff and council should know better,” one man said.

“Children are not at school to be billboards for current political causes,” a woman said.

The college announced the uniform addition in January but failed to include details of the design.

The jacket is non-compulsory. Picture: Supplied

“Stemming from the feedback received from both parents and students in our uniform survey conducted last year, the school council is proud to announce the addition of the student puffer jackets to our college uniform,” a statement read.

“The puffer jacket is offered as an additional or alternative item and is not a replacement for the softshell jacket, which is still part of the college uniform.

“Images of the jacket will be available shortly.”

A Department of Education spokesman said the jacket was “initiated” by students.

“School uniform policies for our schools are determined by school councils,” they said

“The jacket was initiated by the student community and is not a compulsory part of the school uniform.

“Like all our state schools, Cheltenham Secondary College is proud to be a safe and welcoming school.”

Opposition education spokesman Matt Bach said: “It shouldn’t require the stitching of selected flags on to school jackets to show that schools are a welcoming place for everyone from all walks of life”.