Mothers at a Melbourne primary school have been outraged at a school newsletter article that advised them to get rid of male friends to protect their marriages.
St James Catholic Primary School in Brighton, east of Melbourne, included an article titled “15 Ways to Protect Your Marriage” in its August 7 school newsletter.
The article, submitted by parish priest Fr Gerard Johnson, contained tips for wives to keep an eye on her husband’s co-workers and being “careful” on a girls night out.
It also suggested that couples should have complete access to each other’s social media accounts and text messages.
A mother, only identified as Rachel, is seeking an apology from the school after the eldest of her two daughters came home and asked if she could no longer have male friends as suggested by the full-page newsletter article.
“Parents already feel let down by the Catholic Church by its inability to keep up with the times, but are now concerned that in 2014 our children are being educated in this sexist and misogynistic environment,” she said.
The article originally appeared on iMOM Family First and says porn is the “cancer that’s ruining the sex lives of countless married couples” and suggests married women should not talk about sex with members of the opposite sex.
Another parent, who remained anonymous, called the newsletter article “outdated claptrap”.
“It has caused an uproar in our community,” she said.
The article’s first paragraph states: “Even when things are good in your relationship with your husband, it’s wise to keep your eyes open, communicate well and put some ‘guard rails’ in place to keep things on track and safe.”
“Since women are often the more communicative half of a marriage, it may fall on you to initiate discussions and see that important things are addressed . . . ,” the introduction continued.
Fr Johnson said he was disappointed at the response, but added that he had received far more positive feedback than negative.
He rejected claims the article was sexist or derogatory towards women, saying that the points raised refer generally to the total marriage relationship.
St James’s principal said the school had no control over the portion of the newsletter concerned, over which the parish priest had the final say.
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