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Ben Fordham criticizes a boys-only private school where teachers are encouraged not to call their students ‘boys’ or ‘young men’ in another move to use more gender-neutral language
- St Bede’s College staff encouraged not to use the terms ‘boys’ or ‘young men’
- The director said it was in response to Victoria’s updated Child Safe Standards
- 2GB radio host Ben Fordham said the ‘cancel culture’ move had gone too far
- College confirmed teachers were told ‘at no stage’ not to use the terms
- The school said staff were asked to use gender-neutral language whenever possible
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Ben Fordham has called out a private boys’ school that has encouraged teachers to use gender-neutral language instead of the terms “boy” or “young man.”
Principal Deborah Frizza of St Bede’s College in Menton, south-east Melbourne, said in a letter to staff this week that the school was seeking a change in the language it uses under the updated Victoria Child Safe Standards.
‘May I ask that we use gender neutral language in our communication wherever possible?’ read the letter, reports The Herald Sun.
“I know it can be challenging to communicate with the parents of senior students and call them ‘children’, so if anyone has a better gender neutral term, please let me know.
‘Using the term ‘student’ instead of ‘young man’ or ‘boy’ can be easily made. I have yet to find an alternative to ‘Beda Boy’ (graduates), and given the history of this term, we need to think carefully about any changes here.”
After some media reaction, the college confirmed that teachers “at no stage” were instructed not to use the gender-specific terms at all.
The 2GB radio host took aim at Monday’s letter and said political correctness had gone too far.
‘This is crazy. Cancellation culture has hit this Melbourne boys’ school,” he said.
The college confirmed that “staff were asked to use gender-neutral language where possible” to meet new standards to ensure all students were included.
“There are and will continue to be boys, young men and ‘Beda Boys’ within our university community,” the school said on Monday.
‘Above all, the inclusion of all students of St Bede’s College is and will remain.’
St Bede’s College in Melbourne has encouraged teachers to use more gender neutral terms for students
Victoria’s updated child safety standards say that schools should: “Pay particular attention to the needs of children and young people with disabilities, children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those unable to live at home, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender- and intersex children and young people’.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted St Bede’s College for further comment.
School campuses across the country are increasingly sparking debate as they make changes to become more inclusive.
Northlakes High School on the NSW Central Coast was recently accused of ‘waking up’ when they installed ‘He/She’ and ‘She/She’ signs on their toilet block.
In South Australia, schools must allow transgender students to use the bathroom they are comfortable with or provide them with a private bathroom.
2GB’s Ben Fordham (pictured) said Monday the letter to staff was ‘crazy’