The rumour.

There was a rumour floating around a little while ago on Facebook about Australian schools 'banning' Advance Australia Fair, our national anthem. Straight away I knew it would bs, but I did some research into it and found the source. And I had to laugh.

There was two private schools in Perth which decided that instead of having the normal second verse of AAF, or even skipping the second verse which is done all the time and going straight to the third, they put their own second verse in instead.

The normal first and second verses: (and the one that is normally left out)

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
"Advance Australia fair!"

When gallant Cook from Albion sail'd,
To trace wide oceans o'er,
True British courage bore him on,
Till he landed on our shore.
Then here he raised Old England's flag,
The standard of the brave;
With all her faults we love her still,
"Brittannia rules the wave!"
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"


What the private Perth schools were having the children sing:

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
"Advance Australia fair!"


With Christ our head and cornerstone, we'll build our nation's might;
Whose way and truth and light alone, can guide our path aright;
Our lives a sacrifice of love, reflect our master's care;
With faces turned to heav'n above, Advance Australia Fair;
In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair.


While a private school can pretty much do what they want, this is rediculous. One it is our national anthem, and they have changed it (like, WTF?), and two, I do not think that they are even telling the kids that this is 'their' version and not the real one.

If this is the source of the rumour not long ago, then GOOD. I would not want my child singing the improvised version, ever. Lets keep to the real national anthem. It said nothing about god, religion or faith. And that is the way it should be.


While I'm at it too, I think this should be the new 'version' if it ever gets changed. I personally like the words, hate the actual song. If this was the song, I'd sing it loud and proud every time.

Bullying?

Found this today:

A ten-year-old British transgender girl who has found herself being bullied by adults rather then her fellow classmates has spoken out about her excitement of returning to school as a female.
Born as a male, she was diagnosed two years ago with gender dysphoria – in simple terms someone who experiences discontent with their biological gender. After the diagnosis her parents chose to allow her to live as a girl.
The child’s mother told the Worcester News that while children largely accepted her daughter, parents and local adults had reacted badly, by calling the girl a “freak”.
When the school held a special assembly to educate the children on the girl’s new appearance and name, it was meant with complaints by a few of parents.
The grade six student told the BBC she had been very “disappointed” about being forced to wear boys’ uniform in the past and found it “exciting” to now be allowed to dress as a girl.


It is disgusting to see that adults, the people children should be looking up to, can talk down and redicule a child so easily. She has not 'chosen' to be the way she is, you can not help the way you feel about your body. As adults our job is to help, nuture, support and care for the young, to make sure they know that how they feel is alright, that they can talk to us about it because there is nothing wrong with how they feel. For parents to be against this basic idea.

Good to see the children had no problem with accepting someone they way they are. Maybe some people need to look at the way the children dealt with this issue and learn from them.