Fairfax Media revealed in September that the attack on the film was fuelled by a Presbyterian minister who had the scripture classes he oversaw at the school cut back last year. A still from Maya Newell's film Gayby Baby Credit:Gayby Baby After the film's ban in August, 85 complaints were received by the Department of Premier and Cabinet "shocked and appalled" at the actions taken by the Education Minister. "Today you did something unconscionable. Today you told thousands of children across this state that they should be embarrassed about who they are," wrote one voter. "The ramifications of this are on your shoulders".

In total, 55 messages were received congratulating the Premier and the Minister for their "courageous decision" and for being "men of principle" in preventing the film from being shown in school time. A still from Maya Newell's film Gayby Baby "God bless you for standing up to protect our lovely children from those who in the name of the 'freedom to be naughty' would seek to enslave them into a lifetime of weird unproductive sexuality," wrote one member of the public. "This is outrageous, this is not education, this is brainwashing," wrote another. Correspondence between the Department of Education and Burwood Girls High School over a letter to parents Credit:Department of Education

A separate set of internal documents, also obtained under freedom of information laws, reveal that at 7:42am on August 26, just hours after the Daily Telegraph had called the film a "Gay class uproar" Mr Piccoli wrote to Department of Education heads Michele Bruniges and Gregory Prior to initiate the state-wide ban. "Confirming our earlier conversation where I have directed you that the movie in question at Burwood Girls High School is not to be shown during school hours," wrote Mr Piccoli. The inner-west school was at centre of the uproar surrounding the 20 NSW schools that had planned to show the film as part of a celebration of sexual diversity on "Wear it Purple day". Internal emails reveal that after the film was banned at Burwood Girls, the department would not allow guest speakers to attend a morning tea that was organised to replace the viewing. "[Morning tea] Okay if there is no guests or speakers," wrote Deputy Secretary Mr Prior to the Executive Director of NSW Public Schools, Murat Dizdar.

A letter to parents explaining the decision to not show the film in the name of Principal Mia Kumar was also edited several times by departmental heads. Words such as "tolerance," and "celebration" were deleted from the final communication to parents, while the whole sentence: "We celebrate our respect for diversity, tolerance and understanding of the broad society we live in and contribute positively to," was also cut. A spokeswoman for Mr Piccoli said that the decision to direct the Department of Education that the film Gayby Baby must not be shown in school time was not related to the number of complaints received. "Screening the film may be considered if it is an integral part of the planned curriculum for an age appropriate year group," she said. A spokesman for the NSW Department of Education said: "NSW public schools are neutral grounds for rational discourse and objective study. They are not arenas for opposing political views or ideologies."