Since resigning from her role within a Victorian Government task force because of her comments made on Facebook calling the Australian flag “racist”, Roz Ward has been suspended from her Safe Schools role at La Trobe University. She has now been suspended with pay from her job as manager of Safe Schools, a programme that educates school students about LGBTI issues and that was commissioned by the countries former Labor government. The programme is administered by the university’s sex, health and society research centre. Previously government funding of the programme was cut and lesson plans reduced alongside other massive changes made as a response to the concerns raised by Christian groups and right-wing politicians. According to excerpts of a letter published on New Matilda, Ward had breached employment conditions by undermining public confidence in Safe Schools and damaged its reputation. It also stated that her actions had required members of the Victorian Government and senior staff at the University to “take up their time in defending the Safe Schools programme, rather than be positive advocates for the Safe Schools programme”. The Guardian reports that the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) condemned La Trobe University, saying that in reality, the outrage that came from Ward’s post on Facebook was “part of a concerted political and ideological campaign by Australian rightwing ideologues.” The NTEU Victorian secretary Colin Long says “The hysterical response to Ms Ward’s private Facebook posting about the Australian flag is typical of the right’s absolute refusal to consider the ways in which racism is expressed, often unconsciously, in symbols, institutions and attitudes. “Whether one agrees or not with Ms Ward’s contention that the flag betrays a racist origin, it is entirely reasonable to make such an argument, and many have done so without fear of having their livelihoods stolen from them.” She went on to say “It is this kind of moral and intellectual cowardice and bullying that underlies the bullying and victimisation of young people of diverse genders and sexualities, against which Roz Ward has dedicated her professional life. “The NTEU considers that this is discrimination on the basis of political opinion and will be considering all legal avenues of redress.” A Facebook page “We Stand with Roz Ward” has now been set up with nearly 4000 ‘likes’, with a link to a petition calling on La Trobe University to reinstate Ward. The change.org petition has 5825 signatures at the time of publishing this article.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 2nd June 2016 - 5:31pm