Schools boss denies 'dad' and 'mum' ban

Australia: SCHOOLS will not move to stop using words like mum and dad, or girlfriend and boyfriend, the New South Wales Education Department says, despite reports that public schools are under pressure to provide gay-friendly environments.

Changes to terminology, such as using the word "partner" to cover heterosexual relationships, are being sought by gay lobbyists bent on reducing discrimination in a major anti-homophobia push in the state's schools, The Daily Telegraph reports.

"Public schools do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, whether on the grounds of religion, race, disability, gender or sexual preference," he said.

"Schools have to be sanctuaries for children; they must be free of any sort of discrimination, bullying or harassment.

Debate over books used to teach young children about gay lifestyles has been a hot issue in the past.

Two years ago argument became heated over a push to have books such as Jed and His Dads and The Rainbow Cubbyhouse taught in Sydney daycare centres. Yesterday the Australian Association of National Advertisers announced major changes to its code of conduct banning future advertisements for kids' products from including sexual imagery or implying that children - classed as 14 or under - are sexual beings.

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