A primary school in Sydney has removed indigenous house names following a controversy over a play about Aboriginal history. Forestville Public School in the city's north staged a presentation titled Australia - You're Standing In It, which included a segment on the Stolen Generations.
The Stolen Generations refers to the period between 1883 and 1969 when tens of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly taken from their parents by government authorities. The policy has been widely condemned, and in 2008 then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued a formal apology.
Former footballer Robbie Slater, whose son attends the school, described the segment as 'disgusting' and 'bloody disgraceful'. He claimed it pushed a 'political agenda' on young children. Radio host Ray Hadley also criticised the play, calling the teachers 'imbeciles' and demanding a state government inquiry.
However, many parents defended the performance. Nina Mapson Bone, whose son is in Year 3, said 'discomfort should not be a reason not to teach our children about the facts'. She noted that the overwhelming majority of parents supported the play.
The school has now decided to drop indigenous house names, a move that has sparked further debate about how Australian history should be taught in schools.
