The following letter was posted by All Saints Anglican Church:

http://www.allsaintsgb.org.au/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=708&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=9

According to All Saint’s website, the letter is from Evonne Paddison, and contains the following:

This is a letter from Evonne Paddison, CEO of ACCESS Ministries, asking for letters or emails to be written to parliamentarians. The continuance of CRE in schools is under threat and  needs much support. Would you be willing to write to some parliamentarians (See links in letter).  I know some people don’t like having to compose letters so here are a few dot points of things you might like to include. I suggest that you include some, not all, points in your letter. 

  • It is a valuable program
  • It does not evangelise/proselytise
  • It is not compulsory – parents may opt their children out
  • Other faiths also offer classes in many schools. These have equal rights.
  • – some comment about how your child/ren did it and you thought it was a good program
  • Teaching children to live in caring, forgiving ways is a good thing
  • It’s better that schools offer religious education than for children to go to ‘extremist’ religious schools
  • It is good for children to have proper education in their own religion so they don’t succumb to cults or extremist groups as adults (It is best to speak as though the children are from Christian families. Comments also include Islamic families – there is Islamic RE in some schools and we must agree that this should be allowed too.)
  • A clear majority of Australians still identify themselves as Christian
  • A majority of parents choose for their children to have RE

I hope these help anyone wondering what to write.

Please write to:
The Premier –  Hon Ted Baillieu –  ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au
The Minister for Education – Hon Martin Dixon –  martin.dixon@parliament.vic.gov.au
Your Local State Member – go to www.parliament.vic.gov.au and enter your postcode in the top right-hand area to find your local member.
The Department of Education – Mr Dennis Torpy, General Manager Student Wellbeing  – via  pinto.christine.t@edumail.vic.gov.au