We’d love to see this introduced in Irish schools.
A school in England has stopped using the terms ‘mum and dad’ for a very good reason.
Saltdean Primary School in Brighton wants to put an end to discrimination. It believes using terms like ‘mum and dad’ excludes other families.
The school has opted to use the terms parents/carers instead, which we feel is a great step forward.
Their website states: “We use the terms parents/carers rather than “mum” and “dad”. We recognise that our families are made up of many different people.
“When children start at Saltdean, they discuss and share what makes a family for them.
The school continued, “This allows children to see different family dynamics than their own but also helps them to recognise that it is the relationships that make a family.”
Unfortunately, the progressive step has been met with backlash.
Some parents feel mums and dads are now being excluded.
Parents expressed their outrage to MailOnline:
“In trying to be more inclusive, the schools are forgetting about mum and dad, the most important people in a kid’s life.”
“I know the schools are trying to take into account the different kinds of families pupils may come from, but the majority have a mum or dad, regardless of if they are together or not. So why can’t staff just keep it simple for the kids and call their parents what they are; mum or dad?” another asked.
We think this policy is extremely empathetic and something all schools should do. Children with same-sex parents, children in care, and those who have lost a parent will feel more included, and isn’t that what matters the most?
What do you think of the policy?
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