In July 2023, Tasmanian schools received an important report: Asleep at the Wheel – An Examination of Gender and Safeguarding in Schools by Policy Exchange. The report highlighted serious safeguarding failures in UK schools, where contested gender ideology has been allowed to override long-established child protection principles.
Safeguarding Children in Schools Australia (SCISA) distributed this report to Tasmanian schools, stressing its relevance as parents and teachers grow increasingly concerned about the teaching and management of gender issues in education. The aim was simple: to provide educators with up-to-date, science-based information so they could make informed decisions and avoid the risks of ideology-driven practices.
But instead of engaging in open discussion, a representative from Tasmania’s Department of Education instructed “all staff, including Administrative staff” to ignore the report entirely and not consider it as a resource for safeguarding leads.
This response has alarmed teachers and parents alike. Many educators already feel compromised in their duty of care, especially as single-sex facilities are eroded, contested beliefs are taught as fact, and vulnerable children—including autistic pupils, children in care, and girls—are being socially transitioned without proper oversight.
By dismissing Asleep at the Wheel, the Department is not just ignoring a report—it is ignoring its first duty: to safeguard children. Safeguarding requires vigilance, parental involvement, respect for evidence-based practice, and a refusal to put ideology before children’s wellbeing.
As SCISA rightly stated:
“The treatment of children who are struggling with their gender identity must be based on evidence-based science … ideologically driven programs potentially place children at risk of harm.”
The Department’s attempt to silence discussion is deeply disappointing. Safeguarding should never be a political choice. It is a non-negotiable duty owed to every child.
Tasmania’s children deserve better!