THE decision by a Christian school to allow students to attend an anti-abortion rally has angered politicians and psychologists but the principal is unapologetic about the children's presence.
About 200 people, including a large group of Southern Christian College students dressed in uniform and holding placards, attended the demonstration against the State Government's Reproductive Health Bill on Parliament House lawns on Wednesday.
Premier Lara Giddings said the presence of schoolchildren was "a step too far".
"I find it really abhorrent for that sort of campaign to be waged on a really sensitive issue," Ms Giddings said.
Health Minister Michelle O'Bryne said it was a decision for parents to allow their children to attend the protest but she said her own children would not have the ability to understand the complexity of the debate.
"It is a matter for those parents and those educational institutions to think about what the implications for those children might be," Ms O'Byrne said.
Tasmanian child and adolescent psychologist Darren Stops, who is the Australian Psychology Society schools adviser, said the onus was on parents and educators to provide learning that was "developmentally appropriate".
"Children don't have the ability to reason morally complex issues they believe rules are handed down by God and grown-ups. It's not until around the ages of 12 and 13 they start to develop the age of reasoning," Mr Stops said.
He questioned whether it was in the child's interest or the adults' to attend the demonstration.
"Are the children being used as tools to further the adults' interest?" he said.
Southern Christian College principal Alan Lawson said the negative comments were diverting the public "from the real issue".
"The children would not want that because they have real views and insight and they want to have their views heard," Mr Lawson said.
The school had asked parents to discuss the demonstration with their children.
"There was no sense of brainwashing. We had total respect for their views," he said.
A child from one family had attended the protest but another from the same family chose to stay at school.
Mr Lawson said he was surprised by Ms Giddings' reaction to "families and children whose concerns are genuine".
A pro-choice rally to support the legislation is planned for Sunday at noon on Parliament House lawns.
jennifer.crawley@news.com.au
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