‘Seeking to indoctrinate children’

Queensland schools will be splashed with propaganda for the militant CFMEU in a plan slammed by Simon Birmingham.

The Eureka Flag being carried at a CFMEU event. Picture: Supplied

Queensland schools will be splashed with propaganda for the militant CFMEU in a plan being slammed as an attempt to “indoctrinate children as militant unionists” as they approach voting age.

In a move criticised as politicising schools, Queensland Teachers Union general secretary Graham Moloney pledged the union would “make sure there are Eureka Stockade flags in every school in Queensland” in solidarity with the building union, according to The Courier-Mail.

The move is in retaliation against the federal construction watchdog, the Australian Building Construction Commission, in January banning union logos that include the Eureka flag from federal construction sites.

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham has condemned the decision, saying children are at school to learn how to read and write and not to learn how to be protesters.

“I am sure many teachers are embarrassed that their union is more interested in political stunts than children learning to read,” he said.

“Students should be learning about things like Pluto and Pythagoras, not how to run picket lines.

“Of course the events surrounding the Eureka Stockade should be taught as one part of our history but in no way should schools be seeking to indoctrinate children as militant unionists.”

QTU president Kevin Bates ­has doubled down on the decision, saying students were exposed to a variety of views and it was “absolutely ­appropriate” to have those conversations with students, many of whom are approaching voting age. He also said it was up to teachers to decide where and how prominently they would display the flag.

“If there’s any concern from people about a teacher sticking a Eureka flag on the bumper of their car or the front of their diary, that’s the wrong end of the stick in terms of the issues out there,” he said. “Where teachers choose to put those up is a matter for them to think about and act professionally and ethically and we expect they would do that. I don’t believe it’s an issue contrary to our responsibility as educators to make sure young people are exposed to broad range of ideas.’’

He said there were no issues with the union associating itself with the CFMEU, which last year faced allegations some members had threatened to rape the children of non-striking workers.

Queensland State Education Minister Grace Grace says the union has promised no actual flags will be flown in schools, only stickers bearing the flag. “These stickers depicting the Eureka flag are for the personal use of delegates and members, for their cars or personal items,” she said.