“If either or both parents object…the principal needs to make a decision…” - NSW Government.
Gender transition treatments can have irreversible side effects like lifelong infertility, bodily mutilation and cancer.
A child changing his or her name to one of the opposite gender can often be the first step.
That’s why school principals have no business overriding parents’ wishes.
Most parents would be appalled that the Berejiklian Government is telling principals to have the final say if a child wishes to identify as the opposite sex at school.
A directive to principals regarding transgender students on the New South Wales Education Department website says:
“If either or both parents object to the change to the way the first name is recorded by the school, the principal needs to make a decision about what is in the child’s best interests.”
This is chilling stuff. Parents, not the government are the primary carers of their children.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, a member of the supposedly conservative National Party, should rescind this directive.
Most grass roots members of the NSW Nationals would be appalled that their minister was presiding over this trashing of parental rights, particularly on an issue that can lead to irreversible harm to children.
I was a spokesperson for the Coalition for Marriage during the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite.
We warned at the time that de-gendering marriage would lead to further LGBTIQA+ political demands including the loss of parents’ rights.
We just didn’t think it would happen so quickly.
The Christian Democratic Party is supporting One Nation leader Mark Latham’s bill to restore parental rights and to ban teaching children that their gender is fluid.
Lyle Shelton is Director of Campaigns and Communications for the Christian Democratic Party. The Reverend Honourable Fred Nile MLC has nominated Lyle to succeed him in the NSW Parliament when he retires in November. To keep in touch with Lyle and the CDP, sign up here.