Former prime minister Tony Abbott has commended the NSW Government’s decision to ditch the controversial Safe Schools program, designed to educate students about sexual and gender diversity.
“Good that NSW is scrapping so called Safe Schools, a social engineering programme dressed up as anti-bullying,” Mr Abbott tweeted on Sunday.
His tweets followed the State Government’s confirmation a new broader anti-bullying strategy will be put into place in public schools, when federal funding for the Safe Schools program runs out in June.
Education Minister Rob Stokes said education officials were developing the new plan which would be made available to teachers from July this year.
“The Australian Government, who fund and oversee the Safe Schools program, have advised that they will no longer be providing funding for the program by mid-year,” Mr Stokes said in a statement.
“The NSW Department of Education is currently developing an updated anti-bullying strategy that will be a new resource available for teachers from the beginning of term three.”
Mr Stokes said NSW public schools would continue to provide support to LGBTQI students.
“Bullying will never be tolerated in NSW public schools — whether it be because someone is overweight, gay, based on the colour of their skin or for any other reason,” he said.
“Students and parents should expect that schools are a place where they feel safe. Schools remain one of the most secure and trusted public institutions in our community.
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abbott was the one who green lighted the program to begin with and then when it suited his political timing, when EM began getting really loud, he turns against it and brings the RWNJs with him to put more heat on turnbull. abbott has a sick system of using vulnerable groups as political footballs. asylum seekers, GLBTIs, pensioners, etc ...