OPINION: If you’re sending your children to school in white on Friday … don’t.

I’ve witnessed some vile behaviour in the name of debate when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccination. Bullying, aggression, misinformation and scare tactics are rife whichever way you turn. Emotions are running high, there is no doubt.

But I thought one thing was a given, no matter what side of the fence you find yourself on, kids are off limits.

Children, particularly very young children, don’t need to be a part of the COVID-19 debate, particularly when adults can barely wrap their head around the onslaught of links, data and opinions coming in from all angles.

Imagine my surprise then when this morning I heard that members of my community are planning on sending their primary school aged children to school on Friday wearing all white as a symbol of their unity with teachers who don’t wish to be vaccinated.

Currently each state has differing mandates when it comes to teachers being vaccinated. I’m in NSW where, from 8 November 2021, all school and preschool staff will be required to have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

In an apparent gesture of unity to those teachers opposed to this rule, some parents plan on sending their children to school wearing white on Friday.

How about we DON’T do that.

DON’T. Don’t you dare. Lets leave kids out of this.

This is not a debate for primary school aged children to be a part of.

Have you MET Primary aged children? When my son was in kindergarten he swore that if you got bitten by a tick your head fell off. He was adamant that it had happened to a child at his school.

Children are already coming home with misinformation, the topic does not need a fire lit under it by the conversations that will be had when some of their peers turn up to school wearing a different coloured shirt.

Imagine where their little minds could go with the slightest dramatic opinion on vaccination.

And don’t even get me started on what stigma could be tied to the kids turning up in white. Don’t make this their problem. They’re kids.

Some kids will think they have ALL the information. Some kids will have heard things wrong and share it as fact. Some kids will get it wrong. There will be conversations and fear about death. At school. Primary school.

THEY CAN’T UNDERSTAND THIS.

I’m furious at the thought of children being used as polictical pawns in an adults discussion and at the impact that this might have on the school community, particularly the children, on Friday if schools allow this to go ahead.

This is not a debate for primary school aged children to be a part of.

If you’re considering sending your child in white on Friday, have you thought about how these conversations held by five year olds will be twisted. How scared they’ll be. How much hysteria you will potentially cause?

Let kids be kids. Keep them out of it. They are not your pawns.

It is irresponsible and completely inappropriate to make this issue a kid problem.

They’ve been through enough in these last couple of years, lets keep this conversation at the adults table.