Tasmania’s education secretary told Premier Jeremy Rockliff in writing that Christmas would remain part of a Launceston school’s end-of-year event on the same day he posted on Facebook that there had been efforts to remove “all references” to Christmas.
The school had dropped Christmas from the event’s name, but carols, Christmas-themed items and Santa were staying.
The letter from Department for Education, Children and Young People secretary Ginna Webster, dated October 14, was tabled in parliament on Thursday after the Greens asked for it multiple times across both houses.
“Based on the information provided by the school, I am satisfied that Christmas remains an important part of the proposed celebration,” Webster wrote in the letter.
“Rather than removing Christmas, the school is seeking to balance longstanding traditions with an inclusive approach that enables all students and families to participate in a way that is respectful of their individual beliefs and circumstances.”
The letter has no time on it and it is not clear when Rockliff received or read it.
Rockliff has told the media he first heard about changes at Trevallyn Primary School when concerned parents wrote to him and on October 13 he wrote to Webster about the school’s plans.
“I do not support schools removing reference to Christmas in end of year celebrations or removing carols,” he wrote in that letter.
Webster’s reply said carols would stay, some classes would perform Christmas-themed items and Santa would attend “consistent with previous years”.
She wrote that the school was “making some adjustments” so all students and families felt included.
On October 14, Pulse reported the school had renamed its end-of-year event by ditching the word Christmas, changing “Christmas on the Hill” to “Holiday on the Hill”.
That story included a statement from a department spokesperson that carols would stay: “Christmas carols will remain part of this event, with some classes choosing to perform Christmas-themed items.”
It also included the acting principal’s reply to the concerned parents, explaining the change.
“We have students and families from a range of cultural and religious backgrounds and some students are unable to take part in performances or rehearsals that are centred purely around Christmas themes,” the acting principal wrote.
Shortly after the Pulse story was published, Rockliff took to Facebook.
“It has been brought to my attention that there have been efforts made to remove all references to Christmas in end of year school celebrations,” he wrote.
It is not clear whether he had read Webster’s letter, the story or the departmental response in it before making the post.
On October 18, Rockliff told media he had received the department’s response but stood by his post, calling it “measured and considered”.
“I stand by my comments because I’m a premier and a leader that expresses and articulates my views on a range of matters,” he said.
Two days later, he posted on Facebook that “the school’s response confirmed changes were being made, out of concerns about exclusion”.
He wrote that he had reiterated to the department that schools were expected to both “acknowledge and celebrate Christmas”.
“Christmas is part of our culture. It’s part of our way of life. We can be inclusive, while honouring what makes Australia so great,” the premier wrote.
Greens MP Cecily Rosol read from Webster’s letter during the adjournment debate in parliament on Thursday night.
“What’s particularly shocking about this is that the premier would have received this letter before he made that social media post,” she told parliament.
“Premier, what you have done is unacceptable. It’s hurtful and you need to apologise to the school. I call on you to apologise to Trevallyn Primary School.”
Labor MP Jess Greene told parliament “rather than picking up the phone and establishing the facts and talking to the school, the premier took to Facebook”.
The Australian Education Union has banned politicians from public schools for the rest of Term 4 unless Rockliff apologises.
