Girls at a prestigious church-founded private school claim they’ve been ordered to take off Christian crosses because they offend classmates.
Year 12 students at Melbourne’s Methodist Ladies College (MLC) in the affluent eastern suburb of Kew claim that students are allowed to wear furry ears, tails and rainbow-themed pride items but not crosses signalling their Christian faith.
An unnamed student told the Herald Sun that the school was practising ‘religious discrimination’ because teachers were asking those who had them as jewellery to take them off when other students complain they are offensive to non-Christians’.
‘My friend was wearing a cross and there was another girl in our class who said she found the cross really offensive and so the teacher told her to take it off,’ she told the publication.
‘My friend’s parents, who are very religious, tried to get answers from the school and were told ‘it’s not a good look for the school’.
‘This is supposed to be a religious school but they are listening to minority opinion rather than mainstream religious students.’
Students who wear Christian crosses have reportedly asked put them on longer chain so they are not visible, but students says they are being told to take them off.
Methodist Ladies College, which charges close to $39,000 in fees for a Year 12 student and an extra 36,000 to board, has strict uniform requirements and does not allow make-up, jewellery or untied long hair.
Students attending Melbourne’s Methodist Ladies College claim they are being asked to removed worn Christian crosses by teachers
The school is also very strict on inappropriate dress lengths and non-approved clothing.
A school spokesperson told the Herald Sun they were ‘deeply committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, respect, and diversity’.
‘Our Christian heritage serves as a foundation for welcoming individuals of all faiths, cultures, and backgrounds, fostering an environment where every student is supported in expressing their identity and beliefs,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Regarding religious jewellery, such as cross necklaces, the College’s uniform policy supports consistent presentation among students while respecting individual beliefs.
The school has strict uniform rules, where make-up, jewellery and untied long hair are banned (stock image pictured)
Parents pay thousands in school fees for their daughters to attend Methodist Ladies College
‘We apply all policies with care and sensitivity, ensuring that individual beliefs are respected while supporting our shared identity through the MLC uniform.’
In August 2022, it was reported a year eight student attending a private girls’ school in Melbourne was being allowed to ‘identify as a cat’.
‘No one seems to have a protocol for students identifying as animals, but the approach has been that if it doesn’t disrupt the school, everyone is being supportive,’ a source close to the family told the Herald Sun.
The school did not confirm this but said they were ‘dealing with a range of psychological issues’.
In a statement, the school said students were presenting ‘with a range of issues, from mental health, anxiety or identity issues’.
An unnamed student claims girls were told to remove their cross necklaces because they offended other students
The Melbourne Methodist Ladies College was started by the Wesleyan Methodist church in 1882 and it wasn’t until 1978 that the school principal was not an ordained minister.
‘As a non-denominational and multicultural college, we value diversity and broad expressions of achievement,’ the school website states.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the school for further comment.
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