October is too early to be talking about Christmas.
asserted
October → talk → Christmas
Even the stores that are ever ready to capitalise on the Christmas spirit have barely started to sneak in themed goods.
asserted
that → capitalise → goods
And yet Christmas seems to be the only thing Tasmania can talk about right now.
asserted
Tasmania → seem → ?
Thanks largely to a social media post by the leader of the state just over a week ago, where he alerted his constituents to an apparent attempt by a school to "remove all references to Christmas in end-of-year school celebrations".
asserted
he → alert → celebrations
"Whatever your religion or heritage, Christmas is part of our way of life," he wrote.
asserted
he → write → life
"Acknowledging other traditions is important.
asserted
Acknowledging → acknowledge → traditions
"But that's not a reason to abandon our own.
asserted
that → abandon → own
In the post, Mr Rockliff said he had asked the education department to step in.
asserted
he → say → department
The problem is, the post did not have all the facts right.
asserted
facts → have → ?
School still had Christmas events in its calendar
asserted
School → have → calendar
While the government did not name an individual school (and continues to claim it's a broader issue), it became apparent, due to a social media post by Pulse Media minutes before Mr Rockliff's, that it was referring to one particular case.
uncertain
it → name → case
The school was planning to change the name of just one event from 'Christmas on the Hill' to 'End of Year Extravaganza' and swap out carols for some pop songs.
asserted
school → plan → songs
But its calendar, which contains multiple references to Christmas, indicated there was no attempt to "remove all references to Christmas in end-of-year school celebrations".
asserted
which → contain → celebrations
The premier's post may have been rather general, gone to an effort not to identify the school and even moderated comments, but a predictable culture war over "cancelling Christmas" unfolded from there.
uncertain
war → go → Christmas
It was never going to be hard to work out which school it was.
asserted
it → go → ?
Media outlets including the Daily Mail, Sunrise and Pulse named the school, with some identifying the acting principal.
asserted
some → include → principal
She is now on stress leave, which is pretty understandable; having a decision you made be called out publicly by the most senior person in the state, by name or not, would rattle most people.
asserted
you → have → people
As an education department employee, the acting principal is not allowed to defend themselves and the reasons for the end-of-year changes in the same public manner.
asserted
principal → act → manner
Certain senior Liberal MPs, including the education minister, have been conspicuously silent on the issue, but elements of the party's right faction have taken it up with glee.
asserted
elements → include → glee
Treasurer Eric Abetz posted an AI-generated image of a parent consoling a child about a cancelled nativity play, while minister Felix Ellis posted a straw man argument along with a still from the iconic Christmas movie, The Grinch.
asserted
Ellis → post → movie
Education union launches petition
asserted
union → launch → petition
The Australian Education Union (AEU) claims staff are upset and being harassed.
There are also reports of security being required at the school because of the heated online climate.
uncertain
security → claim → climate
The AEU, along with Unions Tas and other MPs, are calling on the premier to apologise for his public handling of the issue, with the AEU even launching a petition.
asserted
AEU → call → petition
Of course every new piece of discourse, including this one, keeps the conversation going and continues to add to the stress some are experiencing.
asserted
some → include → stress
Almost a week on from the story breaking, the premier went public again, doubling down on his earlier comments and not apologising.
asserted
premier → break → comments
"I believe that I have a right to voice that opinion, on behalf of our community," he wrote on Tuesday.
"Concerned parents contacted me regarding a school's decision to remove references to Christmas.
asserted
parents → believe → Christmas
"The school's response confirmed changes were being made, out of concerns about exclusion."
asserted
changes → confirm → exclusion
Labor, which was a little slow to the party, has fully joined the parade now.
asserted
which → join → parade
Deputy Leader Janie Finlay was on the radio earlier this week claiming that Jeremy Rockliff had lost his "nice guy" mantle.
asserted
Rockliff → claim → mantle
While Labor Leader Josh Willie called out the premier for getting the facts wrong and leaning into culture wars.
asserted
facts → call → wars
"The Education Department had already confirmed there would be carols, Christmas performances and a visit from Santa, just like every other year.
asserted
Department → confirm → year
He knew that.
asserted
He → know → that
He just didn't care," wrote Mr Willie.
asserted
Willie → care → ?
"Words have consequences, especially when they come from the premier.
asserted
they → have → premier
"Leaders need to hold themselves to a higher standard."
asserted
Leaders → need → standard
In the context of a conversation about the political climate nationally, Federal Assistant Minister Rebecca White said politicians needed to dial the temperature down and lead by example.
asserted
politicians → say → example
"I know that he knows better than that," she said.
asserted
she → know → that
"I'd call on him to make amends for that, because I think that is a really tangible example of how we as community leaders can put forward a really civil conversation and lead by example."
asserted
we → call → example
For some, this whole saga feels out of character for Mr Rockliff — a man who promised to "lead with heart".
asserted
who → feel → heart
His almost quarter-of-a-decade in politics has earned him the decent guy title that Ms Finlay wants to take away.
asserted
Finlay → earn → that
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia