What is your school required to teach your child?

There is a difference between what your school is required to teach as determined broadly by the curriculum, and the materials and programs that are used to deliver the curriculum.
Australia has a national curriculum (called the Australian curriculum) which is used in most states. NSW, Victoria and Western Australia each have their own curriculum.
Understanding that ‘the curriculum’ is not the same as ‘the program used to deliver it’, can help you counter any claim that your school might make that the ‘curriculum requires it’.

Regarding Gender Identity Theory:

The Curriculum itself is rarely the problem
The problem will usually be in the materials and resources that schools use to deliver the curriculum
Schools and Principals have flexibility to choose which materials are used to deliver the curriculum
Key things to know about curriculum:
  • Curriculum does set out the broad knowledge and skills a student should learn
  • Curriculum requirements do provide flexibility for teachers and schools to determine how students will be taught
  • Curriculum does not provide detailed learning content
  • Curriculum does not prescribe teaching methods
  • Curriculum does not mandate a specific program (eg. Respectful Relationships) or a suite of programs
The following are examples of teaching materials and resources written to deliver the curriculum, but they are not the curriculum, and therefore not mandatory.
  • Respectful Relationships Education Programs
  • Consent Education Programs
  • Sexuality Education Programs
  • Social and Emotional Learning Materials
Key things you need to know about the optional ready-made materials & resources for delivery of the curriculum
  • Gender identity theory is embedded in many of these programs. 
  • Teaching materials that contain gender identity theory are often written by academics, activists and a range of community groups.
  • These materials give schools an easy ready made program for delivering the curriculum.
  • Some materials make it extra easy for schools as they ‘map’ all of their content to the curriculum (which means schools can easily tick the compliance boxes).
  • There are MANY ways that a school can meet the curriculum requirements.
Curriculum content does not elaborate on detail.
See example below.

Australian curriculum content from the Health and Physical Education Learning Area for Grades 5&6:

How can I find the relevant curriculum which specifies what my child must be taught?

Where to find the curriculum

Areas within the curriculum to look at

The curriculum areas where gender identity theory is most likely to appear include:

  • The Health & Physical Education Learning Area
  • Any “overarching capabilities” eg Personal and Social”

Focus on the year level relevant to your child or children.