Ben Fordham has called out an all-boys private school that have encouraged teachers and students to use gender-inclusive terms.
The principal of St Bede’s College in Melbourne said in a letter to staff this week that the school was looking to change the language it uses following updated Victoria Child Safe Standards.
The letter discouraged school staff from using terms such as “boy” and “young man” in an attempt to be more inclusive to non-binary students.
“Can I ask that we start to use gender neutral language in our communications where possible?” the letter read, reports The Herald Sun.
“I know it can be challenging when communicating with the parents of senior students and calling them ‘children’, so if anyone has a better gender neutral term than this, please let me know.”
“The use of the term ‘student’ rather than ‘young man’ or ‘boy’ can easily be made. I’m yet to find an alternative for ‘Beda Boy’ (graduated students), and given the history of this term, we would need to think carefully on any changes here.”
After the letter was made public, 2GB’s Ben Fordham blasted the school policy saying it was political correctness gone too far.
“This is crazy. Cancel culture has hit this all boys school in Melbourne,” he said.
The college confirmed “staff were asked to use gender neutral language where possible” to comply with new standards to ensure all students were included.
“There are, and will continue to be, boys, young men and ‘Beda Boys’ within our College community,” a statement from the school read.
“At the forefront of our minds is, and will remain, the inclusion of all students at St Bede’s College.”
Image credits: Instagram / St Bede’s College
This article first appeared on OverSixty.