St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove has allegedly banned same-sex formal dates. Image credit: Rawpixel.com, Freepik
An all-girls Catholic school in Sydney has been criticised for banning same-sex couples from attending formal together.
Earlier this week, students at St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove were told that they were not permitted to bring a female date to their formal.
A student launched an online petition against this ban, claiming that “schools like St Ursula’s continue to uphold discriminatory policies”.
“This policy not only discriminates against LGBTQ+ students but also puts us in a difficult financial situation as we are left with non-refundable tickets and clothes that were bought specifically for this occasion.”
The student appealed to the school to “align itself” with the values of inclusivity and acceptance.
The petition received over 4,900 signatures of support before it was closed.
Minister for Education Jason Clare says that schools should not be discriminating against students on the basis of their sexuality.
“It’s 2023,” he said.
He has urged the school to reconsider the ban and “show a little bit of common sense”.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has also shared his support of the students.
“I think in this day and age you should be able to take anyone you like to your year 12 formal — we are after all talking about teenagers who are close to or over the age of 18,” he said.
Chief executive of Equality Australia, Anna Brown, said the school’s policy was “outdated”.
“Marring this personal milestone with silly prejudice and outdated rules helps nobody, protects nothing and instead ruins what should be a joyous step in a young person’s journey to adulthood,” Brown said.
Sydney Catholic Schools said the matter was “being addressed at a school level”.
“Our priority is seeing our students through to the end of the HSC and 13 years of school with as little disruption as possible,” a spokesperson said.
