A Bunbury primary school has found itself at the centre of an online storm after sending parents a message suggesting girls bring board games to keep themselves occupied while Year 4 boys attended a football clinic — a controversy that has since drawn a pointed response from Western Australia's Education Minister.
The email that sparked the backlash
Eaton Primary School sent a note home to parents earlier this week advising that Year 4 boys were "lucky enough to have a football clinic visiting," scheduled to take place between recess and lunch on Tuesday. The message then added: "With this in mind, if any girls have any fun board games they would like to bring in, we will use this as an opportunity for the girls to have some fun also."
The communication was quickly re-shared across social media, where it went viral. Many who saw it described the school's wording as tone-deaf, particularly given the significant and well-documented rise in the number of girls playing Australian Rules football across the country. The contrast between an organised sporting clinic for boys and a suggestion that girls entertain themselves with board games struck a nerve with parents and commenters alike.
Education Minister intervenes
The controversy caught the attention of Education Minister Sabine Winton, who issued a clear directive to the school. "It is my expectation that WA public schools provide the same opportunities to both girls and boys — whether that is in the classroom or on the sporting field," she said on Wednesday.
The Minister said she "strongly encouraged" Eaton Primary School to ensure its female students were given access to an equivalent clinic. An Education Department spokesperson subsequently confirmed the school had already been planning to do exactly that, stating a girls' sports clinic has been scheduled for the second half of this year. The spokesperson also noted that throughout the year, the school provides students with a range of opportunities to build self-esteem, confidence and engagement in education.
School clarifies the clinic's purpose
Eaton Primary School later took to Facebook to provide additional context that had been absent from the original parent communication. The school explained that Tuesday's football session had in fact been run by the Clontarf Foundation, an organisation that specifically uses sport as a vehicle to improve the education, life skills and employment prospects of Indigenous boys.
The clinic had been held as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations, with Year 4 and 5 boys taking part. "Our students had a fantastic time developing their football skills, building teamwork and enjoying an active morning with the Clontarf team," the school's post read.
The clarification helped explain why the clinic was targeted exclusively at boys — the Clontarf Foundation's program is specifically designed for Indigenous male students — though many observers noted the school's original message had failed to mention any of this context, leaving parents and the wider public to draw their own conclusions.
What happens next for Eaton Primary School girls
With the Education Department confirming a dedicated girls' sports clinic is in the pipeline for later in 2026, the immediate pressure on the school appears to have eased. However, the episode has served as a reminder of how quickly a poorly worded school communication can ignite a public debate — and of the importance of clearly explaining the context behind gender-specific programs, particularly in an era of heightened awareness around equal sporting opportunities for girls.
