I've posted this image some time ago, but I still find it offensive
for all sorts of reasons. It's a group of young female students in
school uniform, in the centre of Sydney, captured in 2017. Their
teacher has the red scarf.
Do we really want to see this blatant example of religious oppression
here in Australia? Are these girls too young and not sufficiently worldly
experienced to have made a personal decision to wear this regalia? Or
have their parents and/or teachers threatened them with various forms
of home or school punishment should they defy this requisite?
Australia is now generally regarded as a nominally secular country, with
the numbers of atheists now greater than either the Catholic adherents
or the Anglican adherents. [
ABS 2021 Census]
And even more offensive (and distressing) is this image of three little
Muslim girls who obviously do not (and cannot) know the significance
of the clothes they're wearing. This is parental brainwashing at the
highest (or lowest?) level. Religious indoctrination of children has no
place in a 21st century Australian society.
And just as disturbing are the innocent smiles on each of their faces.