Aspects of the Safe Schools program are "almost offensive" and alienate gay and transgender students, the West Australian education minister says.
Peter Collier said although elements of the national Safe Schools Coalition had the hallmarks of an effective bullying strategy, it isolated lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans school students by setting "sporadic little policies for each cohort of students".
The program aims to stop the use of gendered terms in primary and high schools and inform children about sexuality, but has sparked a national controversy.
"You've got to be careful you don't set a social agenda in these areas and that's what you're doing here with this Safe Schools program," Mr Collier told 6PR Radio on Monday.
He said only 16 of WA's 800 public schools had registered for the program, with just four accessing its resources.
Opposition education spokeswoman Sue Ellery said Mr Collier was effectively discouraging WA schools from joining the program through his comments, and putting the students that needed it most at risk.
"I've met with young students that have been subject to bullying at school around their sexuality, and they've told me that this program saves lives," Ms Ellery told AAP.
"I think the minister's comments are concerning because anything that sends a message to schools that says 'the minister doesn't really support this program', is dangerous."
Ms Ellery said she believed Mr Collier was a captive of the "ideological right" within the Liberal Party.
