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Safe Schools Coalition Australia
Formation2010
TypeNGO
PurposeSafety and wellbeing of LGBT and intersex students
Region served
Australia
Executive Director
National Program Director
Websitesafeschoolscoalition.org.au

The Safe Schools Coalition Australia is a national coalition of organisations and schools to create safe and inclusive schools for students, families and staff who are same sex attracted, intersex and/or gender diverse. The focus of the organisation is on "challenging bullying and discrimination" within school settings.[1] The coalition is managed by The Foundation for Young Australians and funded by the Australian and Victorian governments.[2]

History

The program commenced in Victoria in 2010, and received national funding of $8 million in 2013.[3] It was formally launched in June 2014.[4]

The program runs in every State and Territory of Australia except Northern Territory.[2] As of mid February 2016, 490 schools are members of the program, and 86 organisations are supporters of the coalition.[2]

In 2015, a teaching manual called All Of Us was launched, following approval by the federal Education Department.[3] Authors of the manual include Margot Fink, a finalist for Young Australian of the Year in 2016. The guide includes information on teaching gender diversity, sexual diversity and intersex topics.

Resource content includes a video of same sex attracted and gender diverse youth, as well as intersex film-maker Phoebe Hart.[5]

Research

In describing the aims of the program, the Safe Schools Coalition Australia reports that "75% of same sex attracted young people experience some form of homophobic abuse or bullying... A staggering 80% of young people experienced abuse and bullying while at school".[5] The All Of Us resource cites research on same sex attracted and gender diverse youth in the report Writing Themselves In 3.[5][6]

Research on intersex Australians published in 2016 shows that, while 2% of Australians fail to complete secondary school, 18% of Australians born with intersex variations fail to do so due to issues around bullying, discrimination and pubertal medical interventions.[7][8]

Issues

It was reported in July 2015 that the program has cross party support, including from education experts and peak bodies, Labor state governments, and government ministers. However, the program is opposed by some religious groups, with the program said to be "gagged" on same-sex marriage while the Safe Schools Coalition said there had been "no change to media protocols".[1]

Advocates for the program point to high levels of homophobic abuse, including in school settings, and high levels of school leaving.[9] The managing director of the Young and Well Co-operative Research Centre has described the curriculum material as necessary.[3] Controversial aspects of a Stand out against homophobia and transphobia in schools guide include, "encouraging students to defy teachers who do not let them put up posters or access gay websites".[10][11] Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg says, "The civil disobedience is not wise."[3]

In July 2015, the Australian Christian Lobby lodged a petition with the Queensland parliament complaining about the Safe Schools program.[12] The petition incorporated wording from a student resource OMG I’m Queer,[13] intended for children aged 11 and up. However the Clerk of the Parliament would not permit the wording on Queensland parliament’s website because of the "intemperate" language.[14] The 10,891-signature petition was subsequently tabled with the "intemperate" wording censored.[15]

Kevin Donnelly, a senior research fellow at the Australian Catholic University has described the program as "social engineering",[3][16] and the program has become the focus of regular attention by The Australian newspaper.[3][14][17][18] On 9 February 2016, The Australian newspaper reported claims by the Australian Christian Lobby stated that the program pressured kids and "confuses them about their own identity".[19]

On 14 February 2016 the education minister, Simon Birmingham, described the lessons prepared by the coalition as having "reasonable objectives". Birmingham stated that controversy over the program was "very unhelpful because the debate that seems to be occurring in the public space is one of whether or not we should be teaching inclusiveness and tolerance in our schools".[20]

Government backbench reactions

The program was reviewed by the Turnbull Liberal/National Coalition Government after Coalition backbenchers, George Christensen and Cory Bernardi, raised concerns over what they claimed was the "sexualised" nature of the program. Christensen also likened the program to a "pedophile grooming a victim",[21][22] and said the program was attempting to run "queer gender theory" and "marxist ideology" into schools that should be limited to universities. Coalition MPs in disagreement such as Warren Entsch said the concerns were being pushed by external lobby groups. Labor leader Bill Shorten labelled the Christensen group "ideologues ... trying to impose a 1950s view of the world".[23][24]

Subsequent changes

The Turnbull Liberal/National Coalition Government was quick to adopt changes to the program following the review, announced on 18 March 2016, after forty-three Coalition backbenchers including former leader Tony Abbott had signed a petition calling for the program's closure.[24][25][26][27] The imposed limits included changes to some materials, limiting access to secondary schools as material was not appropriate for all children, and requiring parent opt-ins.[28] In March 2016 following the review, the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews took issue that students will now require parental permission to attend the Safe Schools program. He, "vowed to defend its place in every Victorian secondary school", while the NSW Premier Mike Baird disagreed saying, "parental engagement is a good thing."[29][30]

The Safe School Coalition has links to affiliate, third-party organisations[31] and have jointly produced student resources.[32] One of those those organisations[33] has provided instructions for girls on chest-binding,[34] and for boys, instructions on penis-tucking[35] and in the use of toilets and change-rooms appropriate to their identities, noting "Safe Schools Coalition Victoria can help you and your school with this process".[36] Following the review, the government is to, "address concerns about third-party links."[37]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Cook, Henrietta (28 July 2015). "Safe Schools program ordered to stay silent on gay marriage". The Age. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Safe Schools Coalition Australia. "Who are we". Safe Schools Coalition Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bita, Natasha (12 February 2016). "Sexual politics in the classroom". The Australian. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  4. ^ Safe Schools Coalition Australia launched, Department of Education and Training (Australia), 13 June 2014, retrieved 15 February 2016
  5. ^ a b c Safe Schools Coalition Australia (2015), All Of Us: Unit Guide
  6. ^ Hillier, Lynne; Jones, Tiffany; Monagle, Marisa; Overton, Naomi; Gahan, Luke; Blackman, Jennifer; Mitchell, Anne (2010). Writing themselves in three: The 3rd national study on the sexual health and wellbeing of same sex attracted and gender questioning young people (PDF). Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. ISBN 978-1-921377-92-1.
  7. ^ Jones, Tiffany (March 11, 2016). "The needs of students with intersex variations". Sex Education: 1–17. doi:10.1080/14681811.2016.1149808. ISSN 1468-1811. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  8. ^ Carpenter, Morgan (11 February 2016). "We support the Safe Schools Coalition Australia". Organisation Intersex International Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  9. ^ Shaw, Rebecca (11 February 2016). "There is no such thing as a 'gay manual', but I wish I'd had this when I was a child". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Stand out against homophobia and transphobia in schools" (PDF). Safe Schools Coalition. p. 12. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Stand out against homophobia and transphobia in schools" (PDF). Safe Schools Coalition. p. 18. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  12. ^ Partridge, Emma (4 November 2015). "Australian Christian Lobby slams Safe Schools anti-bullying program". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  13. ^ "OMG I'm Queer". Safe Schools Coalition. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  14. ^ a b Shanahan, Angela (27 February 2016). "Parents are the best judge of their kids' sex education needs". The Australian. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Cease Safe Schools roll out in Queensland schools". 13 October 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  16. ^ Donnelly, Kevin (11 February 2016). "Safe Schools Coalition is more about LGBTI advocacy than making schools safer". The Age. The Age. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  17. ^ Urban, Rebecca (1 March 2016). "Safe Schools activist Roz Ward raises 'red flag'". The Australian. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  18. ^ Urban, Rebecca (22 March 2016). "Safe Schools: tell concerned parents 'tough luck!'". The Australian. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  19. ^ Bita, Natasha (9 February 2016). "Activists push taxpayer-funded gay manual in schools". The Australian. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  20. ^ Owens, Jared (14 February 2016). "Sex diversity class 'reasonable'". The Australian. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  21. ^ "PM wants probe into LGBTI program over 'indoctrination' fears". ABC News. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  22. ^ "Gay senator asks Liberal colleagues to have empathy for young people in Safe Schools debate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  23. ^ Abbott told of Safe Schools concerns: Nine News 17 March 2016
  24. ^ a b Safe Schools program downsized after campaign by right-wing MPs and Christian lobby groups: SBS 18 March 2016
  25. ^ Safe Schools - Malcolm Turnbull forced to act on funding for controversial sex-ed program: Daily Telegraph 18 March 2016
  26. ^ Limits imposed on Safe Schools program: InDaily 18 March 2016
  27. ^ Review of Appropriateness and Efficacy of the Safe Schools Coalition Australia Program Resources: education.gov.au
  28. ^ "Safe Schools program downsized after campaign by right-wing MPs and Christian lobby groups". SBS News. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  29. ^ Bagshaw, Eric (22 March 2016). "Safe Schools: NSW Premier Mike Baird defends federal government's review". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  30. ^ Eddie, Rachel (22 March 2016). "'How on earth can our children be looking at this?': NSW premier Mike Baird weighs in on changes to Safe Schools program aimed at educating children on LGTBI issues". Daily Mail. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  31. ^ "All of us - student handouts" (PDF). Safe Schools Coalition. p. 8. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  32. ^ "All of us". Safe Schools Coalition. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  33. ^ "Minus18". Minus18. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  34. ^ "Healthier and safer ways to bind your chest". Minus18. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  35. ^ "OMG I'm trans" (PDF). Minus18. p. 30. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  36. ^ "OMG I'm trans" (PDF). Minus18. p. 9. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  37. ^ Busby, Cec (19 March 2016). "Safe Schools program gutted: Resources to become part of govt-controlled Safe Schools hub". Gay News Network. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
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