The Northern Territory (NT) government in Australia has distanced itself from proposed guidelines that were drafted to introduce gender-neutral language in schools after criticism that it was “attempting to apply Marxist ideology” to the educational system.
A spokesperson for the Australian Labor Government said the guidelines, drafted by the NT Education Department and sent out to groups last year for consultation, were “absolutely 100% not Government policy,” per NT News.
The guidelines were first reported by Sky News on April 19.
According to the Sky News report, proposed guidelines on “diverse sex, sexuality, and gender and identity” would have prohibited calling students “boys and girls” or “ladies and gentlemen.” These terms could be interpreted as confirming “gender stereotyping and roles,” which can be “alienating for gender-questioning and gender-diverse children,” the document read.
Under the plan, schools would be asked to refrain from separating children by gender for athletic activities and be “flexible regarding clothing type and participation.”
The legislation would also ensure that students attending school camps have access to the toilets, showers, and sleeping quarters of their “affirmed gender,” the gender identity they specify.
“When considering school excursions, including overnight stays, the teacher in charge of the excursion should consult with LGBTQI students, parents, and support teams to confirm preferences,” the report stated.
Teachers were instructed to consider the concerns that other children may express, while also being mindful of the possibility that those concerns could reflect current or future bullying.
“If a child, or their peers, do not agree that they would feel safe and comfortable sharing, seek alternative solutions and acknowledge that this is an indication of possible exclusionary behavior and potential bullying toward the LGBTQI child,” the guidelines stated.
The document emphasized that “the safety and wellbeing of each and every child takes priority.”
Jacinta Price called the proposed guidelines “political correctness gone mad.” Price is the Country Liberal Party Senate candidate and the former deputy mayor of Alice Springs.
“I’m stunned that the [Michael] Gunner Government would even consider attempting to apply any Marxist ideology into our schooling system here in the Northern Territory,” she told Sky News on April 19. Gunner is the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
“It goes to show that the Northern Territory Government’s priorities are all mixed up,” Price said, citing the low rate of school attendance in remote communities as a bigger concern.
On Facebook that day, she wrote, “You don’t lift a minority group of people by diminishing and forcing the majority to conform — this is not equality or education.”
While the document was still under review, it was endorsed by NT Education Minister Lauren Moss, who described the guidelines as a critical step toward creating “inclusive environments for all students.”
“I think it’s really important that we are creating welcoming and inclusive environments for all students, and that includes our students who are LGBTQI,” she said, according to Sky News.
“We know that often, these students are young people and children who experience greater levels of harm or greater levels of isolation or greater levels of bullying, and we need to make sure that we are working together as a school community to support all of our students and make sure that they all feel welcome.”
Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison assured the public that the document was outdated and would not become policy, NT News reported.
“I want to be very clear here, that we will not be banning the use of the word boys or girls in schools,” she said. “We will not be stopping having girls’ races or boys’ races or girls’ sports teams or boys’ sports teams.”
Though no updated document has been released at this time, Manison said new guidelines would be released for community consideration later in the school year.
