The Safe Schools Coalition has continued to be criticised in the media today with a new round of accusations that the nationwide program has a covert agenda.
The anti-bullying campaign which aims to provide safety and positive information to LGBTIQ+ students and their peers has been accused of being a homosexual recruitment program created by gay activists.
Yesterday ‘The Australian’ newspaper ran an exclusive front page story about the program’s contents, despite the teaching guide being launched several months ago when it was widely reported in multiple publications.
Several news outlets have poked fun at the Murdoch press for claiming the news as an exclusive. Crikey described the story as a salvo for Christian lobbyists, while SBS published a satirical article mocking the news.
Today Fairfax newspapers published an opinion piece by Kevin Donnelly from the Australian Catholic University titled ‘Safe Schools Coalition is more about LGBTI advocacy than making schools safer’. Donnelly argues that the program is a well resourced attempt to push a cultural left-agenda into the education system.
Mr Donnelly said it was hypocritical of the government to allow the Safe Schools Coalition program while opposing religious education in schools. In 2014 Mr Donnelly conducted a review of the National Curriculum for the Abbott government. At time LGBTIQ rights advocates raised concern over Mr Donnelly’s appointment given his previous statements about homosexuality.
In his 2004 book ‘Why Our Schools are Failing’, which was commissioned by the Liberal Party, Mr Donnelly described gay, lesbian and transgender people as “unnatural” and suggested there is no need to discuss LGBTI relationships or sexuality in school health programs.
In the past Mr Donnelly has been critical of the Australian Education Union for suggesting safe-sex should be taught at school, and he suggested only heterosexuals should be teaching sex education in schools.
The Australian has followed up their coverage with a series of letters supporting calls for the program to de-funded and an additional story citing psychiatrists arguing that parental permission should be sought before the program is delivered to younger students.
Yesterday Greens senators Janet Rice and Robert Simms called on the Australian Christian Lobby to stop their campaign against the program labeling it as “fear mongering.”
OIP Staff, image: resource from the Safe Schools Coalition
