High school comes under fire for making students pay MORE if they refuse to wear rainbow colours during 'international day against homophobia and transphobia'
- A western Sydney high school became ground zero in talkback radio culture war
- Parents were sent a note saying pupils who wore rainbow would donate $1
- Those who didn't wear a rainbow item of clothing 'were expected to donate $2'
- Additional gold coin donation labelled 'political punishment' by Mark Latham
- Education dept says donations were 'voluntary'; school apologises for note
A western Sydney high school has come under fire for a rainbow mufti day where children who did not wear multi-coloured clothing were expected to pay more.
Greystanes High School became ground zero in the culture wars for hosting a casual clothes day for 'International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT)'.
One Nation MP Mark Latham lashed the school for inflicting 'political punishment' on its students after a note was sent to parents explaining the donation system.
The letter said pupils who wore an item of rainbow clothing were 'expected' to donate $1, while those who wore mufti without rainbow 'will be expected to donate $2.'
The NSW Education Department has admitted this Greystanes High School letter to parents was 'poorly worded', and has stressed students were not 'forced' to pay up
If these women were students, they would only have to pay $1 as they were wearing rainbow Mufti
Mr Latham told 2GB's Alan Jones rainbow colours have 'become a political symbol for the identity politics of the Left'.
'This is sort of an extraction system, a punishment for people who don't participate in what clearly is a left wing movement,' he said.
Share this article
Mr Latham said people could wear rainbow all weekend and children should be expected to wear uniforms at school.
But, he said, 'if they're going to have a mufti day, treat everyone equally and don't put a political punishment on those who would feel uncomfortable wearing the left wing colours of rainbow'.
Mark Latham said the additional gold coin donation was tantamount to a political punishment
Greystanes High School in Sydney's west (stock image)
The note to parents caused such a stir that the school deleted a Facebook post about the day.
A NSW Education Department spokesman said the school had apologised for the 'poorly worded letter' to parents.
The spokesman stressed students were not 'forced' to donate to the collection and 'participation and donations were absolutely voluntary.'
The Education Department has counselled the school over the incident.
