Sir Spot of Borg
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President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Sep 13 th, 2018 at 8:26am: Quote:Student, 9, refuses to stand for national anthem because it's 'disrespectful to indigenous Australians'
The Department of Education has denied that a nine-year-old primary school student was ever threatened with suspension for refusing to stand for the national anthem.
Harper Nielsen, who spoke exclusively to Channel 9 today, said she believed the anthem is disrespectful to indigenous Australians. 
"I'm not someone who just obliges by the rules of older people just because they're older," Harper told 9NEWS.
The Kenmore South State School student was given a detention following her silent protest, where her parents say she was ordered to write an apology or face possible suspension.
"When it says Advance Australia Fair, it means advance the white people," the Year Four student told 9NEWS.
"And when it says 'we are young' it completely disregards the Indigenous Australians who were here before us for 50,000 years."
Harper's father Mark Nielsen said they had met with the school's principal but they remained at loggerheads.
https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/oHXK-ETytH7wVspM-w0jFNK2vOA=/1200x0/smart/ht...
"I think she's a very brave young person who is really showing what you can achieve by taking a stand in something that you believe is right," he said.
Her mother Yvette Miller said she was taken aback by the school's response.
"We were surprised behaviour such as a passive non-participation might be considered in the same realm as something like bringing a knife to school or being violent towards others," she said.
However, the Department of Education issued a statement saying "at no time" did the school suggest the student would be suspended or excluded for refusing to take part in the national anthem.
The school has offered Harper to leave the school hall while the anthem is being played.
But the defiant student has refused to do so, to make her point.
In a blistering tweet, Opposition MP Jarrod Bleijie slammed Harper as a "brat".
"Shame on her parents for using her as a political pawn,” he wrote.
"Stop the silly protest and stand and sing proudly your national anthem.
"Suspension should follow if she continues to act like a brat."
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Bleijie needed to "grow up a bit".
"What sort of message does that send to children across our state?" she said.
The Kenmore South State School principal refused to comment, but in a statement the education department said it had been respectful of Harper's wishes and has provided alternatives to singing the national anthem.
"State schools set out clear standards of behaviour that they expect from their students in their responsible behaviour plan for students," a spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Pauline Hanson has voiced her opinion, saying the schoolgirl had been "brainwashed" and should be pulled out of the school.
"I'm hearing from too many people that feel our kids are being brainwashed in our educational system, this transgender sex stuff, this safe school problem, what the hell is going on?" Hanson said.
"I'm angry about this…This kid is headed down the wrong path…take her out of the school.
"I tell you what, I'd give her a kick up the backside."
and her parents need a kick up the arse as well.... what kind of scum uses their 9 year old child as a political pawn and get her demonised at school... they are sick... she needs to be protected from this child abuse... Back to the op. Basically you think kicking her up the arse isnt child abuse but allowing her to think for herself is? Spot
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