How students embrace inclusion, diversity in Vic schools
New uniforms are just one of the many ways Victorian schools are promoting diversity and inclusion. This is how our schools are celebrating the changing needs of students.
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Carey Grammar students have joined their peers at other schools in paying tribute to Indigenous occupation on their year 12 jumpers.
The students have chosen the numbers 60,000 in black, yellow and red to display on their sleeves.
The number is designed to indicate the number of years Aboriginal people have been in Australia compared to white occupation. A male student, who didn’t want to be named, said he was “proud” of the gesture.
“It was chosen by the students, it’s what we wanted and everyone is happy with it,” he said.
Carey Grammar principal Jonathan Walter said the jumper was designed by students but approved by the school.
“Our 2023 cohort requested to include ‘60,000’ in the colours of the indigenous flag on the sleeve of their jumper. They wanted to acknowledge that while we celebrate our school Centenary, that this is in the context of a much longer history of First Nations People in this country,” he said.
“As a school, we encourage our students to think beyond themselves to the wider context of the world they live in. We are proud that our students look outwards and took this opportunity to acknowledge the legacy of Indigenous peoples in Australia,” Mr Walter said.
It follows students at Cheltenham Secondary College, who sparked debate over the inclusion of the Indigenous and pride flags on their optional school puffer jackets.
According to the My Schools website, Cheltenham Secondary College has one per cent of its 883 students who were Indigenous in 2022 while there were no Indigenous students at Carey Grammar.
New uniforms are among the many ways Victorian schools are promoting diversity, inclusion and gender fluidity in a bid to accommodate and celebrate the changing needs of students.
Here are some of the other measures.
Expressions of pride
Many schools now are flying rainbow pride flags and holding pride rounds in sport.
For six years now, private schools including Carey Grammar, Brighton Grammar and Melbourne Grammar have been holding a pride round as part of their sporting fixtures. Depending on the sport and the school, students wear rainbow socks, jerseys or shoe laces. Melbourne Grammar, which has a Gay Straight Alliance group, said the pride round showed how important it was for all students to be supported and feel like they belong. Other schools flying rainbow flags include Daylesford Primary.
The Herald Sun reported in March that St Kevin’s students were pushing for an annual school-wide pride round for all sporting teams, but the school has said it was unlikely to happen this year.
Gender fluidity and pronouns
Schools across the state are supporting and including gender-fluid and non-binary students.
Victoria allowed VCE students to declare their gender as non-binary in 2017 – the second state to do so.
The number of VCE students nominating as “gender X” has quadrupled in three years – and these non-binary students are outperforming boys in a number of subjects.
In 2022 there were almost 200 students who identified as gender diverse in year 12 – up from 54 in 2020 and 28 in 2017.
It comes as eighteen pronouns have been included in a new guide used by thousands of Victorians school students and staff.
The Wear It Purple guide to pronouns include choices such as “fae”, “xe” and “hu” alongside the more widely used she/her, he/him and they/them.
Gender inclusion
Schools such as Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School have gender inclusion policies which “endorses the right for students and staff to express their individuality and gender identity, whether or not conforming to gender stereotypes”.
“In circumstances where conflict exists between a student and their parents concerning transition or affirmation of gender identity, consideration will be given by the Principal to the stance of the student as a mature minor in support of the student’s wishes.”
Other schools such as Geelong Grammar, Richmond West Primary, Carlton North Primary and Brentwood have similar policies.
Schools such as Killester College, Mentone Girls Secondary College and Brunswick East Primary have gender-neutral bathrooms and uniforms in a bid to support non-binary and transitioning students.
In 2022, St Bede’s in Mentone – a boys’ school – announced terms such as “boys” and “young man” would be replaced with “students”.
The decision was overturned and the principal noted that: “there will continue to be boys, young men and Beda Boys within our College community”.
Drag story time
Another way for schools to embrace diversity is to hold drag story time events.
Although the 2023 Woodleigh School’s drag story time was cancelled due to police advice, the event has been successfully held in recent years.
The progressive school in Langwarrin was due to host well-known performers Frock Hudson in the senior school and Dolly Diamond in the junior school to celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia earlier this year.
The school said they had “disappointingly and most reluctantly decided to cancel the planned visit by the previously arranged storytellers”.
“Our first priority at our school is child safety, and we do not want to place our community at risk.
The risk was from protesters who threatened the safety of organisers, not the drag story readers.
Single-sex schools and gender diversity
Students at a number of single-sex schools have continued their education there after transitioning to a different gender.
While this is more common at girls’ schools, such as Melbourne Girls’ College and Canterbury Girls’ School, male students now identifying as female have been embraced at elite male schools such as Melbourne Grammar and Xavier College.
One student at Melbourne Grammar explained her decision in 2022: “I also hope that this will improve the culture surrounding LGBTQIA+ people in our community.
“If I can spark insightful discussion, improve understanding, or make it easier for anyone at Melbourne Grammar and beyond to be comfortable with themselves and others, then this decision will be well worth it for me,” she said.
Anticolonialism and Sorry Day
Some schools are responding to concerns about celebrating colonialism because of the association with Indigenous violence, loss, massacre and disease.
The Victorian government has taken a strong stand on the issue, with Premier Daniel Andrews stating last year that schools will be strongly encouraged to mark Sorry Day, recognise the “significant trauma” of colonisation, hold welcome to country celebrations and fly the Aboriginal flag, under new state laws.
The word “colonial” was dropped from an upcoming dress-up day at a Mornington Peninsula primary school after some parents raised concerns about the term in May.
Grade 5 students at Mount Martha Primary School were asked to dress in “goldfields” attire instead of “colonial” for an upcoming incursion, following concern in the parent community.
In a note sent to grade 5 parents, the school said: “It has come to our attention that there is some concern in our parent community around the use of the word colonial in our Year 5 History unit for term 2.
The school went on to say its incursion in Term 2 would be known as Goldfields Day, with children invited to dress in goldfields attire.
University students mandatory materials
Diversity and inclusion are key tenets of Victorian university studies, with students at many institutions such as Melbourne Uni unable to enrol in classes if they do not finish mandatory sexual consent and Indigenous culture lessons.
In a move criticised by student representatives, some institutions are blocking students from submitting assignments and accessing lesson materials if they do not complete online training modules about safe drinking, sex and academic integrity.
The University of Melbourne “Joining Melbourne” modules cover respect, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, community and wellbeing. These so-called “hurdle requirements” must be completed upon enrolment.
In addition, students are expected to do an online “Consent Matters” module upon enrolment, which includes scenarios of sexual interactions and common sexual and relationship misconceptions.
Academic integrity and Indigenous cultural awareness units are mandatory for all La Trobe University students before graduation.
However, in 2022 Monash University backed down on a policy requiring engineering students to include an Acknowledgement of Country on assignments or lose marks.
Shock number of sexual misconduct claims at Victorian unis
Students and staff at tertiary institutions have reported an alarming number of incidents where they were harassed, stalked and filmed without consent on university grounds.
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