One of the key reasons that so many parents in FIRIS tell us that they upset with CRE is the poor quality teaching and strange ideas that CRE teachers and activists bring into the classroom.  Often as not a CRE activist is a person who wants to perform “mission” and spread their idea of the gospel.

ACCESS has as a core mission to “transform” children with the message of the gospel – and because they demand time during the school day to transform kids, it seems as though they don’t think that parents are doing a very good job.

It was therefore no surprise to learn that one of ACCESS Ministries leading on line recruiting activists is a pastor who has taken to the media to advocate corporal punishment, and to tell everyone that children these days are being parented too gently, and are spoiled.  This is a claim of course that is made in every age, just flip back in the press to any time period you choose and you can see the finger wagging for yourself.

Pastor Rick Zylstra, from the Presbyterian Reformed Church at Wangaratta, said he was concerned young people would grow up without a proper understanding of responsibility.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/smacking-kids-builds-respect/2252329.aspx

Pastor Rick Zylstra, pictured with his wife, Rachel, and sons Callan and Ayran, says smacking children is justified when done “with love”. He says young people would grow up with a lack of respect and responsibility. Picture: PETER MERKESTEYN

This kind of thing is just classic from a man who works to keep rules in place that make our schools “mission fields”.

Message:

you are doing a crap job raising your kids …

CRE is unique in the whole field of education for allowing a parachurch made up of religious activists to make claims on our schools – and to be essentially “turned loose” with almost no training.

While we expect teachers to have a high level of qualification and standards, years of training, and oversight before they are given the trust of the title teacher, CRE teachers just need “a note from a pastor”.

I’m not sure why we don’t just let “pastors’ give notes to other licensed trades … but for some reason if a “pastor” vouches for you, you are free to have the classroom.

What do you think?  Are you FIRIS parents raising a bunch of spoiled brats?

Why don’t you hit your kids the way leading ACCESS activists are seen advocating in the press?