An exclusive school in Melbourne has caused controversy by banning parents from bringing coffee and other hot drinks onto school grounds because it is "too dangerous".
St Kevin's Glendalough in Toorak, Melbourne, has urged parents to rethink bringing hot drinks when they are doing the morning school drop-offs, the Herald Sun reported.
Their Junior Head Master, James Daly, notified parents that adding hot drinks to their drop off created an unnecessary playground risk due to the many "active children and flying balls".
"I respectfully remind parents that bringing hot drinks into the schoolyard, classroom or other areas where students are present, is not allowed," Mr Daly said in a newsletter.
The parents, who pay over $22,000 a year to send their children to the primary school, were said to be shocked that despite the hefty price tag, they could not drink a coffee on school grounds.
In the school newsletter, Mr Daly pointed out comedian Barry Humphries' previous comments about the overuse of plastic bottles, too.
"With horror he noted that patrons even brought their water bottles into his performances which completely mystified him.
"It seems this obsession has morphed from water to takeaway coffees."
Daly also mentioned that plastic bottles are an "environmental disaster" and noted takeaway cups are accountable too.
"Where and when is a takeaway coffee cup appropriate and how does one responsibly dispose of it? They're all good questions for another time," he said.
But his environmental concern is only part of the reason, so parents considering a reusable cup still won't be allowed to bring it onto school grounds.