Sydney’s Kambala School saves Purple Day from ‘rainbow’ hijacking



One of Sydney’s most exclusive girls’ schools has been forced to ­intervene after students attempted to hijack Wear it Purple Day on Friday and turn it into a “wear it rainbow’’ event to celebrate the gay, lesbian and transgender community.

Parents with children at ­Kambala complained that material promoting a “rainbow’’ celebration had been posted around the Rose Bay institution overlooking Sydney Harbour.

“The posters were not authorised by the school and have been taken down,’’ principal Shane Hogan said last night.

He also dismissed claims there had been hundreds of posters.

“We’re celebrating Purple Day like any other school … All schools are invited to do so and it’s to celebrate diversity, acceptance and respect,’’ Mr Hogan said.

“The values being promoted are in line with the Christian ethos of the school in acceptance and respect of all people.’’

Angry parents had earlier expressed concerns that posters had been plastered around the Anglican school urging students to “wear it rainbow’’ instead of purple to “express our support for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community’’.

Parents at the $28,5000-a-year school expressed concerns it was an attempt to brainwash young students.

The posters suggested making it a rainbow mufti or non-uniform day, and included suggestions for the screening of a pride movie.

“The posters were up yesterday. There were over 100 of them, even in the toilet cubicles,’’ a parent told The Australian.

The parent said they understood the day was to celebrate ­diversity and their daughter had been encouraged to wear the colours of the rainbow.

“To me, that is still the same thing,’’ the parent said. “There may not be posters (but) they’re still celebrating the same thing. I have googled it. It celebrates diversity in sex, sexuality and gender.

“I want to send my daughter to a Church of England school because I want her to grow up with the proper Christian ethos.

“It is not what I expect of a church school, and without any consultation with parents.”

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