[Greens-Media] No place for religious proselytising in government schools - Pennicuik

[Amanda.Sharp at parliament.vic.gov.au]

No place for religious proselytising in government schools

Thur 31 July 2014

"The recent ministerial directive clarifying what is and is not permitted 
in public schools regarding religious activities is welcome, as there has 
been a lot of pushing of the boundaries in schools by religious 
'volunteers'," Greens spokesperson on Education, Sue Pennicuik said today.

"The directive has come about after complaints that religious volunteers 
are breaching guidelines and I have heard of this occurring from a number 
of sources."

The government is correct in making it clear that activities such as 
religious ?clubs? run by external ?volunteers? and the distribution of 
religious material is not permitted under the act.

"Public schools are secular and so religious proselytising and 
distribution of religious material has no place," Ms Pennicuik said. 

"However, special religious education (SRI) is allowed under the act and 
there have also been complaints from schools, teachers and parents about 
the way it is conducted in government schools for years.
 
"Not least of the concerns raised by parents, teachers and by me is that 
SRI is conducted in government schools, using volunteers who are not 
trained teachers and using materials that are not accredited by the 
department.

"I have been concerned about the materials that I have seen that are used 
in schools and clearly involve 'proselytising' during SRI classes, which 
is supposedly prohibited," Ms Pennicuik said. "Teachers have told me that 
that is exactly what is happening, but they feel powerless to do anything 
about it. 

"We are still waiting for the long overdue departmental oversight of SRI 
materials. If the government were to evaluate them for educational 
content, in my opinion, they have none, but they are still being used. 

"I have raised questions in parliament about the conduct of SRI on several 
occasions. These have been around how religious organisations gain access 
to schools, how curriculum is or is not approved and just what is done 
with the large amounts of public money that is given to religious 
organisations that conduct SRI in schools. This has always been less than 
transparent.

"Last year, I asked the Minister for Higher Education and Skills if and 
how the department was monitoring compliance with the opt-in system. I was 
advised that the department is essentially not doing so. It's about time 
that was properly monitored,* and I have heard reports of children 
attending SRI even when their parents have not opted in," Ms Pennicuik 
said.

"It is time that funding for religious organisations to deliver SRI in 
government schools was stopped and instead general, comparative, religious 
and ethics education be offered and delivered by qualified teachers, not 
evangelistic volunteers."

* 
http://vicmps.greens.org.au/content/schools-special-religious-instruction

For further comment: Sue Pennicuik ? 0409 055 875

 


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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 

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