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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Canberra schools to stay safe

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ANDREW Barr says the ACT Government will replace Federal funding for the Safe Schools program in the ACT, after the Safe Schools Coalition advised him it could not continue to operate program effectively under conditions imposed by the Federal Liberal government.

“The changes imposed by the Federal Government will significantly limit the principal’s ability to make decisions about their school and community and the requirement for parental permission will effectively shut out any student who wants confidential help,” Andrew said.

“The new restrictive contract terms will also exclude partner organisations from working with the most vulnerable students, and will limit the resources that can be used in delivering the program. Only ‘endorsed’ materials can be shared, which limits teachers’ and trainers’ ability to share or modify useful material, making it impossible to deliver services that are tailored to individual needs.

“We know the hard-right Liberal National party conservatives like Bernardi, Abetz, Christenson and Seselja have been gunning to tear down for the safe schools program. Now we’ve learned they have imposed conditions that are so onerous, so restrictive as to render the safe schools program completely unworkable.

“Being a teenager can be tough, when you’re unsure about your sexuality or different from others it can be really tough, especially at school. I know this from personal experience. I know that programs like Safe Schools, programs that support young people, save lives.

“I also know that it is important for young people to know that it is OK to be gay, it is OK to be lesbian, it is OK to be bisexual, Trans or Queer. You are not abnormal, you do not deserve to be discriminated against. If you need a helping hand in your teenage years, that’s fine. Your rights and your feelings matter to us.

“Like most Canberrans, I’m proud out city is an inclusive place. That spirit of inclusion starts in our schools. These are some of the most vulnerable kids in this city and they are going to have no stronger advocate than me. That’s why I won’t let this important program be killed off or rendered ineffective. It works, it’s important and if the Liberals won’t fund it, my government will.”

Minister for Education Shane Rattenbury said school can be tough, but particularly if you are dealing with questions about your identity and sexuality.

“This is a time when young people are trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in the world, and it is vital that they have the right support on this journey,” Shane said.

“We know that some teens dealing with issues of identity can be at risk of suicide and self harm, and programs like Safe Schools are designed to provide appropriate support to prevent and minimise harm.

“The Federal Government’s proposed changes will gut the program. It is clear that the hard right of the Liberal Party either do not understand, or do not care about the issues that young people are grappling with.

“A person’s identity is a deeply-held, personal experience. The hard-right’s suggestion that just by talking about differences you are able to change an individual’s own identity or sense of self is ridiculous. We need our students – all of them – to understand that they are all different, and that is ok.

“We need to create a culture of inclusion and acceptance within our schools, and that is precisely what the Safe School Program aims to do.

“The ACT Government does not accept the watered-down, sweep-it-under-the-rug approach from the Federal Government and that is why we are committed to ensuring the continuance of the program, as it stands. The ACT Government will provide the $100,000 funding to ensure it can continue without the need for Federal support.”

[Photo by Bodie Strain, attribution licence.]

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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