Muslims back Presbyterian Church on separate school loos

A prominent Muslim says the Islamic community supports the Presbyterians on proposed anti-discrimination law changes.

A warning that proposed changes to anti-discrimination laws could challenge the ability of schools to mandate the use of separate ­toilets for boys and girls has alarmed members of Australia’s Islamic community.

Prominent Muslim Keysar Trad said he believed mainstream Australian Muslims would strongly back the stance of the Presbyterian Church, which has warned proposed measures to protect gay students from discrimination would open the way for legal challenges against schools that insisted on separate uniforms, sporting teams and toilets for boys and girls.

“This is of great concern to us. Toilet visits and changeroom ­visits should be private,” Mr Trad said. “We would not want children to be confronted by seeing a child of the opposite gender in the toilet, where they expect to have a certain level of privacy.”

Mr Trad, the founder of the ­Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, warned more Islamic families would educate their children at home if the ability of schools to recognise gender differences was undermined.

“What that might do in some cases is make more and more parents prefer to do home schooling instead of using schools and their facilities and their social networks,” Mr Trad said.

“And what that ends up doing is making their children even more isolated.”

The Coalition and Labor are trying to repeal an exemption in the Sex Discrimination Act that allows religious schools to discriminate against students on the basis of their “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”.

The head of the Presbyterian Church in Australia said the change could expose schools to an allegation of “direct discrimination” simply for upholding gender as being determined by biology. In a letter to Scott Morrison, moderator-general John Wilson said the current exemption ­allowed religious schools to mandate distinct uniforms for boys and girls, separate male and ­female toilets, and single-sex sporting teams.

The exemption is rarely used for this purpose but is one of the only legal protections in federal law for faith-based educators.

Mr Trad said Australian Muslims were reluctant to “put their heads up” to get involved in the debate.

“But I know for a fact that the majority of them will hope the churches remain firm on this issue, that this is one thing we have in common (with the churches), and we should protect our future generations.”