Young pupils were left distraught after their grandparents were banned from their classrooms at a Catholic primary school event.
Last Friday grandparents were invited to “bring something old you might have at home” to show to grades one and two at St Joseph’s Primary School in Yarra Junction, on Melbourne’s eastern outskirts.
Photos shared on social media showed visitors teaching children how “technology and the world have changed over time,” while showing off old photographs, phones, cameras, watches and even a unicycle.
But a small group of angry grandparents claimed they were treated like “criminals” when they arrived because they did not have the Working with Children Check (WWCC).
The grandparents were invited to attend a ‘Consultation Afternoon’ at St Joseph’s Primary School, Yarra Junction, last Friday.
The grandparents showed old photographs, phones, cameras, watches and a unicycle to the first and second graders.
One woman, who had previously attended other events at the school, said her granddaughter almost “burst into tears” when she was called into the office and informed that “grandma” couldn’t come into the classroom.
‘Then we sat in the staff room and videotaped the items with my granddaughter talking about what it was about and then she went back to the classroom and I went home. It was very disappointing,” she told the Herald of the sun.
Another woman told the publication she felt “a little empty” after taking the day off work and finding out she couldn’t attend her granddaughter’s class.
“I can understand if it’s one-on-one if you’re on a field trip because you take them to the bathroom and stuff, but we were in a room full of people… and there were a lot of grandparents there,” she said. .
Both grandmothers admitted that there was a note on the back of the invitation that said they needed permission to attend the event.
But both believed “better communication” was needed from the school.
It is understood that a further 29 grandparents registered with the required authorization to attend Friday’s event.
Archdiocese of Melbourne Catholic Schools say they took their responsibility to keep schools safe “very seriously.”
Archdiocese of Melbourne Catholic schools have defended the decision at St Joseph’s Primary School in Yarra Junction
While a spokeswoman acknowledged there was confusion about what was required of volunteers and visitors, she maintained that schools must meet child safety standards and mitigate risks.
“We recognize the disappointing experience of the four grandparents who were unable to attend Grandparents Day and are attempting to call these families,” she said.
He added that staff can ask anyone on campus to conduct a WWCC.
Nearly 30 grandparents got the green light to attend last Friday’s event (pictured)