Many FIRIS parents have written saying that they are all for change to the system of SRI we have here in Victoria, but don’t want to personally speak out against the use of our schools for evangelism and missionary work by church groups.
This is understandable, and it is partly why FIRIS exists, to stop the sandbagging, but it is worth for a minute taking a look at just how powerful one Aussie Mum can actually be. So long as you are quiet and compliant, the groups who want to use our schools as places to push a religious adgenda, win. If you are silent, our kids all have to endure the loss of education and the divisive “opt out” system time while SRI instructors are set free to preach. Silence is the ally of the status quo.
Today in Queensland, though we have yet another example of a Mum who got mad as hell and just went out and did something about it.
So, here is to you, Birgette Linding of Hervey Bay!
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/holy-row-sparks-review/story-e6freoof-1226218658039

RELIGIOUS TEACHING: Birgette Linding of Hervey Bay complained that her daughter was given a Gideons Bible at Urangan State High School. Pic: John Wilson Source: The Courier-Mail
In a free country, people are free to worship in their sanctuary, mosques, temples, and churches. Our schools are designed to welcome all creeds and those with none. Religious freedom does not mean that you are free to hijack a school and commandeer our tax dollars to barrack for religion. This is not education, this is indoctrination and it must be stopped in our schools.
Folks you have to talk about it this way … being nice just gets you run over by a group who has 12 Million reasons to keep their franchise in our schools and “ACCESS” to hundreds of thousands of children “open”.
Here is a Mum who said: No more.
Does this photo look familiar? It’s because lots of Mum’s have taken a stand, won’t you join them?
Please send word to your friends and get them active on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/secularschools?sk=wall

Would like to see the whole system changed: Elizabeth Stuart with daughter Isabel. Photo: Joe Armao Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/problems-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow-20110720-1hoy3.html#ixzz1gIFfj7Jn

Sophie Aitken, with her sons, from left, Toby, 7, Howard, 10, and Elliot, 7, says religious instruction is divisive Photo: Craig SillitoeRead more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/the-god-complexity-a-faith-war-in-our-schools-20110723-1hu87.html#ixzz1gIFx96Rk