Parents Shocked After Being Charged $30 To See Their Daughters Get School Awards

Parents of students from a public girls’ high school were outraged after being forced to pay $30 to watch their daughters get an award on their annual presentation day.

The parents complained after Cheltenham Girls High has charged them $30 a ticket to see the students receive their award at the Sydney Opera House.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the girls’ public high school is among 25 other schools that have hired places such as the Opera House and Sydney Town Hall to host student award ceremonies.

A government public school principal from another school said that charging families for an event is ‘dumbfounding’ especially during a time when families spend more money.

“No one out here can afford the Opera House. Charging $30 to watch your kid get an award, or not get one, is a bit rich.

“It is dumbfounding to me as this really is an equity issue at a time near Christmas when families have a lot of other expenses,” the principal added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said picking a venue for the presentation and whether there was a charge for attendees is a decision made by the schools themselves.

However, Sharryn Brownlee, spokeswoman for the Central Coast P & C, was disappointed to learn that parents had to pay to see their child being awarded for their achievements. “Providing glamorous venues and photo opportunities sounds like a nice idea, but in reality it turns a very special event for the children into a show and has the potential to alienate some families,” she said.

Yet, there are still some parents of Cheltenham Girls students who commended the school for booking the world class venue for the awards ceremony.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cheltenham Girls School for comment.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk