A private school in the Hunter Valley has defended its decision to rename its traditional “Mother’s Day Stall” a “Family Gift Stall” to include and support all students.
Hunter Valley Grammar School said its traditional Mother’s Day stall on Friday will be renamed to ensure all students can celebrate caregivers in their home and community.
“Our intention in renaming the stall was to ensure that the children in our school who don’t have a mother in their home feel welcome and supported as they purchase an item from the stall,” principal Rebecca Butterworth said.
Butterworth explained it was never the school’s intention to “diminish the significance of Mother’s Day or to disregard the important role our mothers, grandmothers and all women play in our community as caregivers”.
“We deeply value and respect all mothers and recognise their dedication to their families and our School community each and every day,” she said.
“In the lead-up to Mother’s Day, our students have spent time talking about the important role mothers and caregivers play in their lives and thinking about ways to express their gratitude.”
Following the announcement of the rebranded stall, however, the school received some backlash over some observers who claimed the move demeaned the celebration of motherhood.
“It’s selfish and cruel to try to remove the celebration of mothers around Australia, who are truly one of the bedrocks of our society,” a social media post read.
“I recognise for some that the mother/child relationship only has pain connected to it, but the fact that you today are alive is because you had a woman who gave birth to you,” another added.
However, others welcomed the idea, labelling it as inclusive and supportive of all students.
“In what world would a mother be upset that the stall isn’t strictly dedicated to her?” one woman said.
“I think it’s a great idea for all students to have something special to celebrate,” another added.