WARNING: BRIEF MENTIONS OF CONFRONTING CONTENT
A South Australian mother of six is suing the SA Education Department after a radical LGBT “inclusivity” class included inappropriate material that upset her 14-year-old daughter.
It was presented by an external organisation called headspace Berri to Year-9 girls at Renmark High School in March last year with a remit to encourage acceptance of LGBT identities as part of a Respectful Relationships program.
Nicki Gaylard claims her daughter came home traumatised after being forced to walk out halfway through the lecture feeling sick, because of its confronting content.
The teenager told her the presentation included brief references to bestiality and incest and showed graphic images of a transgender patient after undergoing gender reassignment surgery.
“I FEEL BETRAYED BY THE SCHOOL”
Ms. Gaylard told Sky News: “As a parent, I feel very betrayed that within the school, they felt they had the right to present these things to my daughter without, first of all, asking her whether she wanted to be there.”
“There was no consent from parents, no parents knew this was going on.”
The mother of six withdrew her children from the school and is believed to be now homeschooling them.
News.com.au reports she describes herself as “not particularly” religious, saying “I love kids, I’m all about a mother protecting her children.”
SA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACKNOWLEDGES PROCEDURAL FAILURES
Christian-backed legal advocates ADF International is assisting Ms. Gaylard in her legal case along with local lawyers.
It writes: “The Department of Education has acknowledged procedural failures, confirming that parents were not notified; required vetting processes were not followed; no teacher was present; and an investigation is underway into the third-party presenter.”
headspace Berri has refused to provide parents with a copy of the presentation materials used in the class.
“WHAT HAPPENED AT RENMARK HIGH SCHOOL WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE”
A spokesperson for the SA Education Department would not address the impending legal action.
“What happened at Renmark High School was not acceptable,” the spokesperson stressed.
“Steps have been taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” the spokesperson said.
SA Education Minister Blair Boyer wrote to Ms. Gaylard in April last year to apologise for what happened, also saying it was “unacceptable”.
MUM “UNDERWHELMED” BY MINISTER’S LETTER OF APOLOGY
However, the Minister added: “I am assured that students were not taught about bestiality, but a reference to the historic criminal treatment of gay men was made.”
“I am also assured there was no content related to incest.”
A spokesperson for the Minister would not clarify what evidence the Minister had to assure him the terms had not been used, but said “the Minister’s letter still stands”.
Ms. Gaylard said she was “underwhelmed” by the letter, which she said carried the implication her daughter and other girls had lied.
WHAT headspace SAID IN REACTION TO COMPLAINTS
A headspace national spokesperson said it had conducted a review into FocusOne Health, the operator of headspace Berri, and how it had engaged and vetted the external presenter.
“headspace national’s review found that .. there were aspects of the presentation that were not appropriate for young people.”
“The presentation was intended to promote LGBTIQA+ inclusivity and acceptance and acknowledge the historical and continuing discrimination and challenges this community faces.”
The spokesperson said the youth mental health foundation had strengthened guidance for operators to ensure services are “suitable and safe”.
“MORE CHILDREN BEING EXPOSED TO SHOCKING CONTENT WITHOUT PARENTS’ KNOWLEDGE”
ADF communications officer, Lois McLatchie Miller, told Sky News: “More and more frequently, we’re seeing cases of kids being exposed to shocking content — most concerningly, without their parents’ knowledge.”
“It is a parent’s primary right to be able to protect your children, to know the kind of education that they’re receiving.”
Robert Clarke, ADF director of advocacy, added: “No parent should be kept in the dark about what their child is being taught.”
“No child should be placed in an unsupervised session dealing with adult themes,” he added.
Australia’s Christian-backed Human Rights Law Alliance says it is committed to protecting these basic parental rights and will closely monitor the progress of the lawsuit.
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