Right: Tasmanian Commissioner for Children Mark Morrissey has stated that transgender children have "the right to education on the basis of equal opportunity, and respect without discrimination of any kind".
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Arguments in favour of the Safe Schools Program
1. The Safe Schools Program has been developed by specialist educators
Defenders of the Safe School program note that it was developed by specialist educators and was thoroughly trialled before being released.
The Safe Schools Program was produced under the umbrella of the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA). Included in the FYA's programs are Worlds of Work (a program designed to help make young people work-ready); Young Social Pioneers (a program designed to foster community engagement among young people); Indigenous Programs (a suite of programs aimed at empowering young Indigenous Australians) and Project Propeller (a project designed to help motivate young Australians to achieve their goals).
Defenders of the Safe School program argue that rather than being prompted by a narrow interest of a special interest group, like gay and lesbian Australians, FYA has been running for 30 years and is supported by governments, large and small businesses, corporate Australia and the social sector. The organisation is involved in problem research and program design.
The 'All of US' unit guide is an evidence-based classroom resource written by teachers, curriculum experts and the Safe Schools Coalition Australia team. Melbourne teacher Christopher Bush in collaboration with Victorian and national Safe Schools Coalition staff members and curriculum consultant Janice Atkin, formerly of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) developed the resource.
As part of its development, 'All of Us' was carefully tested and trialled with focus groups of teachers and with students in classrooms to ensure that All Of Us provides a teacher-friendly tool kit that will make schools safer and more inclusive not just for same sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students, but for their friends, teachers and family too.
'All of Us' was carefully prepared to be aligned with and age-appropriate for the Year 7/8 Health and Physical Education learning area of the Australian Curriculum.
It was trialled with students and teachers of Years 7 and 8. It is recommended specifically for use with those year levels. A curriculum consultant was also used to ensure the resource's appropriateness to those year levels.
2. Participation in the Safe Schools Program is voluntary
Defenders of the Safe School Program argue that it is not an initiative forced on schools, but one that schools choose to adopt in response to what they perceive as problems within their schools.
An opinion piece published in Your Life Choices on March 2, 2016, stated, 'Considering that schools can choose whether to opt-in to the program and choose which services to include, I see no reason why it should be cut. Additionally, parents who take umbrage to particular content can always have their child omitted from the program.'
The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA), the body which designed the Safe Schools Program, has stressed that the program adopts an open, non-coercive approach and that no attempt to made to force students to hold particular views.
FYA states, 'The resource does not suggest teachers force students to explain why they hold a different view in front of the class and teacher, nor to coach them to alter their views. Students are simply asked to discuss and explore a range of questions that are designed to encourage them to think about being in someone else's shoes. The discussions encourage understanding and empathy for the experiences of others - promoting messages of inclusion and belonging for all.'
FYA has also stressed that no school is required to take up the program. FYA states, 'The program is available nationwide, offering resources and support for teachers, students and school communities at the discretion of individual schools.'
FYA note that even in Victoria, where all government schools will be required to trial the program 'membership to Safe Schools remains voluntary... and schools will not be compelled to join or to use any specific resources.'
3. The Safe Schools Program meets a real need
Supporters of the Safe Schools Program stress that homosexual and transgender children, as minority groups within Australian society, have particular psychological issues and are at an increased risk of being bullied. According to this view, though gay, lesbian and transgender children are a small in number within school communities, their experience of bullying is very severe.
On March 2, 2016, the Tasmanian Commissioner for Children, Mark Morrissey, stated, 'Young people who are same-sex attracted are at much greater risk of being bullied on the basis of their sexuality. Also children and young people are often bullied because of their parent's sexuality.'
In an opinion piece published in The New Matilda on February 26, 2016, Lucy Watson stated, 'In 2016, people are still bashed for being queer. 80 per cent of young LGBT people report experiencing homophobia, and 18 per cent of that is physical.'
Research published on the Zero Bully Australia Foundation Internet site presents a similar picture. The site states, 'Research into young people's experiences of homophobia and transphobia show that 61% of same sex attracted or gender diverse young people in Australia have experienced verbal abuse; 18% of same sex attracted or gender diverse young people in Australia have experienced physical abuse [and] 80% of these homophobic and transphobic incidents take place in schools.'
Because so much of this bullying occurs at school, supporters of the Safe School Program further note that not only is there a need to teach tolerance in regard to same sex oriented and transgender children, school is an appropriate place in which to encourage such acceptance.
In a letter to the editor published in The Adelaide Advertiser on October 10, 2014, Joan Scott stated, 'Discrimination against people whose sexual orientation is outside the mainstream is alive and well in our society.
If we don't teach children in schools about tolerance of those who hold views different from their own, where should they learn it?
At home, one hopes, but clearly not all parents are capable of passing on values of tolerance and equality.'
The program's supporters also note the severe consequences of such gender-related bullying.
The Coalition Government's Federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, has stated, 'Far too many young people are being bullied and marginalised. Many to such an extent, that they leave school early and develop mental health problems including self-harm and suicide.'
Suicide Prevention Australia notes, 'Suicide and self-harm in GLBT communities remains an issue of serious concern in Australia. Available research continues to demonstrate that the prevalence and rates of self-harm and attempted suicide are significantly higher amongst GLBT people than among non-GLBT populations - though the prevalence of completed suicide statistics remains unknown.'
Supporters of the Safe School Program argue that gay, lesbian and transgender children have the same rights to fair and equal treatment regardless of their frequency within the general community.
The Tasmanian Commissioner for Children, Mark Morrissey, has stated, 'As the Commissioner for Children I am an advocate for all Tasmanian children and young people. And this includes this particular group of young people.
These students should be accorded all of the rights to which they are entitled; including the right to education on the basis of equal opportunity, and respect without discrimination of any kind.'
4. The Safe School Program does not aim to indoctrinate children or recruit them to homosexuality or a transgender sexual identity
Defenders of the Safe Schools Program argue that its purpose is not to indoctrinate children or recruit them to one or other sexual orientation or gender identity, but to promote respect and acceptance of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
In an opinion piece published in The New Matilda on February 26, 2016, Lucy Watson stated, 'The only thing the Safe Schools Coalition [hopefully] indoctrinates kids into is acceptance. It's a program that will help fight structural homophobia at its core by teaching kids that gay people exist, that you can't ignore them, and you shouldn't demonise them.'
On March 2, 2016, the Tasmanian Commissioner for Children, Mark Morrissey, stated, '[I]t is unfortunate that this program has been so heavily criticised as one which promotes and endorses same-sex attraction amongst children. The fact is that some young people are same-sex attracted, and are bullied because of it. Who they are is often misunderstood or not respected by their peers, their families, or other significant adults in their lives.'
The Commissioner further stated, 'We have a responsibility to these children to ensure they feel safe, are accepted and valued, and are free to be themselves at school.'
The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA), the body under whose auspices the Safe Schools Program was designed, has stressed that its aim is to promote empathy and understanding, not to indoctrinate or coerce agreement.
On its Internet site FYA states, 'The resource does not suggest teachers force students to explain why they hold a different view in front of the class and teacher, nor to coach them to alter their views. Students are simply asked to discuss and explore a range of questions that are designed to encourage them to think about being in someone else's shoes.'
5. Some of the criticism of the Safe Schools Program appears to be motivated by prejudice and a lack of respect for gay, lesbian and transgender individuals
Defenders of the program have noted that some of its critics have exhibited extreme prejudice and seem to be motivated by a rejection of the very existence of gay, lesbian and transgender people.
In an opinion piece published in The New Matilda on February 26, 2016, Lucy Watson stated, 'These Liberal politicians can accuse Shorten, and everyone else, of bullying them, but the only bullies in this situation are themselves - and the school bullies they enable by publicly demonising Australia's queer youth.'
It has been noted that some of the language used to describe the program and those it seeks to protect and empower has been very immoderate.
On March 2, 2016, the Tasmanian Commissioner for Children, Mark Morrissey, stated, 'I am concerned at the damage that may be may be incurred on these young people, by the less than measured language being used by critics of the program.'
On February 24, 2016, New Matilda published excerpts from some of the emails sent to federal MPs urging opposition to the Safe Schools Program. The excerpts were published because of the prejudice they seem to demonstrate. The following are some of the comments quoted. One correspondent wrote, 'Do not allow these funds to be use for the advancement and propagation of gay lesbian agenda. We do not want our children to adopt these unnatural habits.' Another stated, 'Please note, I am not homophobic. That implies a fear. That would be like saying I'm lie-aphobic. Or treat-your-parents-disrespectfully-aphobic. Or steal-aphobic. Or murder-aphobic. I just believe homosexual behaviour is wrong.'
A spokesperson from Greens MLC David Shoebridge's office was reported as having told New Matilda the office had received well over 2,000 emails since October 2015, many of which exhibited extreme prejudice.
Labor MLC Penny Sharpe told New Matilda that she had been sent 'hundreds' of such emails and that they were 'at best misinformed, at worst homophobic and transphobic, and deliberately misleading.'
New South Wales Greens Sexuality and Gender Identity spokesperson, Jenny Leong, has accused the Australian Christian Lobby of running a misinformation campaign.
Leong has stated, 'Sadly, many of the people opposed to Safe Schools are opposed to diversity in general. They won't accept our LGBTIQ communities and seem to think that by sticking their heads in the sand they can make diversity, in terms of sexuality and gender identity, go away. They need to realise that being gay, being transgender, being intersex, being a child in a same-sex family, are all very real experiences and very normal experiences that should be celebrated, not condemned or ignored.'