22 March 2017

What is Safe Schools anyway?

| Rebecca Vassarotti MLA
Join the conversation
7
safe-kids-istock

The Safe Schools Coalition’s anti-bullying program continues to be the subject of misunderstanding both here and across the country. Even some of our elected representatives appear confused about what Safe Schools Coalition is and what it isn’t. While the program is currently being adapted for the ACT and will be operating under a new name from July this year, it is useful to have the facts about this initiative so we can form views based on an understanding of how the program operates rather than respond to the noise that is generated by controversy and incomplete information.

We need this program in schools because schools are not always safe places for people. The Third Survey into the Sexual Health and Wellbeing of Same Sex Attracted and Gender Questioning Young People, Writing Themselves In, found that 75% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) young people experience abuse and discrimination, with 80% of these experiencing this at school. School environments that are welcoming, supportive and accepting have a significant positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ young people.

The Safe Schools Coalition initiative DOES offer free resources and support to enable school staff to access knowledge, skills and practical ideas to create a safer and more inclusive school for students, staff, and families who are part of LGBTIQ communities. This is a voluntary program where principals and teachers decide what support and resources are most appropriate for their schools. Schools themselves decide if they access professional learning for teaching staff, guidance, professional advice about how school operations can be more inclusive or specific resources to address homophobic and transphobic behaviour and actively support diversity in schools.

One of the many support that is provided is the teaching and learning resource All of Us. This includes aged appropriate resources, is aligned with the Australian Curriculum and can be used by teachers if they determine this is relevant for their school community and is age-appropriate for their students. Like all curriculum in the ACT, education professionals and school leaders are well placed and regularly consider these factors in planning teaching programs. There is no requirement to use this resource by member schools. One common misunderstanding about the Safe Schools Coalition program is that it focuses just on teaching All of Us in classrooms, which is clearly not the case.

Safe Schools Coalition IS NOT a sex education program. It is an anti-bullying program aimed at providing information and tools to make schools a safe a welcoming place for all students and families. Safe Schools IS NOT a mandated, specific in-class program. The authorised national program materials that include guidance documents, information for parents and All of Us are all available on the Student Wellbeing Hub. The Hub is an Australian Government website that contains resources and information about a wide range of programs, not just the Safe Schools Coalition Australia.

Many ACT schools have joined Safe Schools because they find it a useful complement to the many programs and initiatives that are rolled out in ACT schools. We should not be afraid of our schools working to create school environments that are more welcoming, nor should we be concerned about our young people being supported to develop knowledge and skills to enhance respect, kindness, and understanding. All students are entitled to accessing a school education in an environment that is safe and supportive. Families, in all their diversity, need to be able to engage with schools in a way that is positive and affirming. I think we are lucky to be living in a place where our schools will be able to deliver this type of initiative in a way that is evidence-based and working in the best interests of students and school communities.

If you or someone you care about needs support, there are places you can go for help. They include LIFELINE 13 11 14, KIDS HELPLINE 1800 551 800 and QLIFE 1800 184 527

Join the conversation

7
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Mysteryman said :

Safe Schools Coalition IS NOT a sex education program. It is an anti-bullying program aimed at providing information and tools to make schools a safe a welcoming place for all students and families

No, it isn’t. Perhaps you should post some of the actual curriculum, and the contents of the program, so that readers can make up their own minds rather than being told second/third hand what the program is or isn’t.

When prominent gay rights activists are speaking out about how ridiculous the program has become, you know there’s a problem with it.

“Gay rights activist Rob Mitchell — who was sacked from his Victorian government advisory role in 2014, arguing that he lost his job because he was too ­publicly critical of the former Napthine government for its ­inaction on tackling homophobia in schools — now believes Safe Schools has gone too far.

“They are completely out of control’’

“The tragedy in all this is: when I was agitating for money to be put in anti-homophobia programs, the Safe Schools ­Coalition was what I would call a vanilla anti-homophobia program,’’ he said. “It seems to have been transformed into this queer theory sort of academic-driven lot of bullshit. As part of that process, they have lost their core constituency, which is parents of school kids. It has been completely hijacked, been derailed.”

from – http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/safe-schools-program-hijacked-says-gay-activist/news-story/596ffa70bf88afb8756e8dae3c894430?nk=758dac13eee50724ab30f514e2fbaeb2-1490915551

This is the weird thing for me with regards to this program. If it’s an anti-bullying program, why don’t they simply focus on bullying?

Surely it’s far more efficient to teach children what bullying is and the impacts it can have on people based on various attributes and why it should be stopped, rather than focusing on a single area of bullying?

Teaching kids to tolerate difference and diversity, that each individual should be given due respect as a human being regardless of those differences and personal opinions.

As you’ve linked, the program seems to focus far too much on teaching particular ideological positions rather than focusing on the actual anti-bullying aspects.

dungfungus said :

Rebecca Vassarotti said :

Leon Arundell said :

How will this program address safety of students or teachers who do not identify as non-heterosexual?

Thanks for the comment. This is a program that aims to develop knowledge and understanding about the experience of discrimination and stigma, and how we can all be part of creating a more inclusive community. These are skills for life which are useful across the population and will benefit the whole community. Its one of a range of initiatives that promote inclusion in schools and sits beside initiatives like Harmony Day, NAIDOC celebrations that all explore diversity. I think this creates a safer and more harmonious school community for everyone, independent of their identity.

Young school children are unable to understand these concepts. It should be their parents who develop life skills for their offspring.

There’s also the issue of many of the concepts being unproven, unscientific, and ridiculous, gender theory nonsense from LaTrobe University.

Safe Schools Coalition IS NOT a sex education program. It is an anti-bullying program aimed at providing information and tools to make schools a safe a welcoming place for all students and families

No, it isn’t. Perhaps you should post some of the actual curriculum, and the contents of the program, so that readers can make up their own minds rather than being told second/third hand what the program is or isn’t.

When prominent gay rights activists are speaking out about how ridiculous the program has become, you know there’s a problem with it.

“Gay rights activist Rob Mitchell — who was sacked from his Victorian government advisory role in 2014, arguing that he lost his job because he was too ­publicly critical of the former Napthine government for its ­inaction on tackling homophobia in schools — now believes Safe Schools has gone too far.

“They are completely out of control’’

“The tragedy in all this is: when I was agitating for money to be put in anti-homophobia programs, the Safe Schools ­Coalition was what I would call a vanilla anti-homophobia program,’’ he said. “It seems to have been transformed into this queer theory sort of academic-driven lot of bullshit. As part of that process, they have lost their core constituency, which is parents of school kids. It has been completely hijacked, been derailed.”

from – http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/safe-schools-program-hijacked-says-gay-activist/news-story/596ffa70bf88afb8756e8dae3c894430?nk=758dac13eee50724ab30f514e2fbaeb2-1490915551

Rebecca Vassarotti said :

Leon Arundell said :

How will this program address safety of students or teachers who do not identify as non-heterosexual?

Thanks for the comment. This is a program that aims to develop knowledge and understanding about the experience of discrimination and stigma, and how we can all be part of creating a more inclusive community. These are skills for life which are useful across the population and will benefit the whole community. Its one of a range of initiatives that promote inclusion in schools and sits beside initiatives like Harmony Day, NAIDOC celebrations that all explore diversity. I think this creates a safer and more harmonious school community for everyone, independent of their identity.

Young school children are unable to understand these concepts. It should be their parents who develop life skills for their offspring.

Rebecca Vassarotti5:48 pm 30 Mar 17

Leon Arundell said :

How will this program address safety of students or teachers who do not identify as non-heterosexual?

Thanks for the comment. This is a program that aims to develop knowledge and understanding about the experience of discrimination and stigma, and how we can all be part of creating a more inclusive community. These are skills for life which are useful across the population and will benefit the whole community. Its one of a range of initiatives that promote inclusion in schools and sits beside initiatives like Harmony Day, NAIDOC celebrations that all explore diversity. I think this creates a safer and more harmonious school community for everyone, independent of their identity.

This LGBTIQ stuff is relatively new – who thought this brand name?

What is the population percentage of this group and are their parents LGBTIQ also?

It would appear that most “bullying” these days is done on social media so why don’t they just opt out and they won’t be harassed any more – you don’t have to be a LGBTIQ person to be bullied.

If indeed there is physical violence involved (like there used to be when bullying meant something else) then it should be the concern of the police, not the school authorities.

Leon Arundell8:08 pm 23 Mar 17

How will this program address safety of students or teachers who do not identify as non-heterosexual?

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.