Sexism in Australian Catholic schools 2014
Sexism is rife in the Australian Catholic School education system. Boys and girls are educated separately in what appears to me to be a desperate attempt to educate each sex specifically on their place in society as defined by their sex, the Catholic religion and the misogynistic teachings of the Christian bible.
I'm an atheist feminist so it doesn't sit well with me. I generally send 4 or 5 complaints per year about sexism in the school system. I could send a lot more but my children often plead with me not to. My recent communication with my boy's Catholic school went as follows.
To whom it may concern
My son X has informed me that the year 6 classes are practicing for the Mother's Day Liturgy. He tells me that as part of that liturgy some of the class members will walk in single file into the service carrying objects that are symbolic of what their mother means to them.
I must make clear my objection to the boys carrying objects such as lunch boxes, brooms and toy cars (presumably to indicated they appreciate being driven places). What these objects symbolise is an outdated view of a woman's place in society - as homemaker and housewife, lunch-maker and house-cleaner. While many women may be involved in these tasks, I am against reinforcing a narrow and sexist view of mothers to impressionable young boys.
I am sure the boys have innocently chosen these objects. There is nothing wrong with children expressing gratitude for comfort, caring and cleaning. I would expect however, that the teachers involved in this liturgy would realise the objects the boys have chosen divide the traits they admire in their mother by gender. This is insulting to women and men and it has very little to do with contemporary families.
Mother's day is portrayed in the media as Mum's day off. Father's day is portrayed as the day Dad spends with the kids. Surely with influences like this bombarding our children, you can come up with objects that better express what a mother brings to a family without resorting to negative stereotypes.
I'm an atheist feminist so it doesn't sit well with me. I generally send 4 or 5 complaints per year about sexism in the school system. I could send a lot more but my children often plead with me not to. My recent communication with my boy's Catholic school went as follows.
To whom it may concern
My son X has informed me that the year 6 classes are practicing for the Mother's Day Liturgy. He tells me that as part of that liturgy some of the class members will walk in single file into the service carrying objects that are symbolic of what their mother means to them.
I must make clear my objection to the boys carrying objects such as lunch boxes, brooms and toy cars (presumably to indicated they appreciate being driven places). What these objects symbolise is an outdated view of a woman's place in society - as homemaker and housewife, lunch-maker and house-cleaner. While many women may be involved in these tasks, I am against reinforcing a narrow and sexist view of mothers to impressionable young boys.
I am sure the boys have innocently chosen these objects. There is nothing wrong with children expressing gratitude for comfort, caring and cleaning. I would expect however, that the teachers involved in this liturgy would realise the objects the boys have chosen divide the traits they admire in their mother by gender. This is insulting to women and men and it has very little to do with contemporary families.
Mother's day is portrayed in the media as Mum's day off. Father's day is portrayed as the day Dad spends with the kids. Surely with influences like this bombarding our children, you can come up with objects that better express what a mother brings to a family without resorting to negative stereotypes.
Hello, Ms D (apparently the teacher who sent me this email pulled my son out of class to ask if I was a Ms or a Mrs. Made me laugh)
Thanks for your correspondence with regard to the upcoming Year 6, Mother’s Day Liturgy.
Please be assured that this special occasion is a day for us to celebrate and show our gratitude appreciation for our mothers. It is not our intention to portray or to reinforce any negative views of mothers.
We have modified our Liturgy just slightly. We are open to including non gender specific items in our presentation. If you have any suggestions, please let us know.
Kind regards
G
Hello G,
I guess I would just suggest that the teachers organising the event ask themselves if they would feel comfortable using the same objects in a Father's Day liturgy.
Apparently 2 years ago the boys carried in a mop and bucket.
I must correct you. I mentioned that the objects would reinforce a negative stereotype not a negative view of mothers. It is important that young boys grow up understanding that men and women should not have to adhere to the outdated and confined roles that the sexism pervading our society reinforces.
I'm glad you are "open to" including non gender-specific items in your presentation.
Regards,
D
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