Hate speech banned in schools

The NSW Government has announced sweeping reforms to combat hate, including explicitly prohibiting hate speech by all school staff and strengthening councils’ powers to shut down unlawful places of worship operating as “factories of hate”.

All NSW school staff, including principals and school leaders, will be subject to strengthened conduct requirements that explicitly prohibit hate speech.

The reforms will come into effect immediately and apply across more than 3000 government, independent and Catholic schools, tightening rules governing the conduct of all school staff.

Hate speech will be explicitly prohibited in the codes of conduct set out by all school sectors and will apply to all members of school staff.

“Until now, the rules haven’t been clear enough,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns.