Religious Instruction in Australian State Schools

[DanDare]

This is a thread for all discussion about this subject not covered in a more specialised thread.

[DanDare]

What a joke. Access Ministries deliberately, and with great relish, proclaim that theirs is a mission in Victorian schools. It’s not an alternative viewpoint, it’s not an outline of tales of great cultural import, it’s a calculated, well-funded, evangelical mission into the heart of our secular state schools.

CONFESSION TIME FOR ACCESS MINISTRIES. by Mike Stuchbery

[Bolero]

Bookmarky

[DanDare]

School religion classes probed

THE Christian group that provides religious education and chaplains in Victorian government schools will be investigated after its chief executive told a conference: ''We need to go and make disciples.''
The remarks appear to breach guidelines governing school religious programs, which ban trying to convert students to any one religion.
The federal and state governments said last night they would investigate Access Ministries after a recording of the speech by Evonne Paddison was brought to their attention.

Full Article and Recording of Speech...

And there is a poll at the bottom of the article. Go, click!

[Perspective]

Done! 65% vote no

[Bolero]

Earlier in the day it was 75/25....Xtians must have been telling their mates.

[Perspective]

Fuck.

[youngmoigle]

[RealityRules]

.
Teacher union calls for end to religious classes

Michael Bachelard May 15, 2011

VICTORIA'S teachers' union is calling for an end to religious education in state schools, increasing pressure on the Baillieu government over the controversial program.

The Victorian branch, representing 46,000 state school teachers, passed a resolution at its Friday council meeting calling for Special Religious Instruction during school hours to be scrapped.

Its resolution stated that public education must remain ''free and secular''.

[snip]

The developments follow mounting criticism by parents, teachers and principals of the program, and damaging revelations about how it is administered and what is being taught.

The union's resolution will increase pressure on the state government to shift religion classes to outside school hours and to make it an ''opt in'' choice for parents instead of the existing ''opt out'' process.

The union's resolution said public education ''should never be open to sectarian interests of any sort, religious or otherwise''.

''In light of this, the AEU [Australian Education Union] does not support the inclusion of Special Religious Instruction (SRI) in school time.''

It is the first time the union has adopted this as a formal policy.

www.theage.com.au/ teacher-union-calls-for-end-to-religious-classes
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[Annie]

This is why I am a member of the AEU. They engage in the important battles.
However it pisses me right off that my union dues are going to fund this fight that should never have been allowed to happen. It's a fight that should be fought by parents.

*fucking annoyed*