Quotable
“The curriculum developed by Access Ministries is appalling. ’Now, unfortunately, most of the Christians out there trying to train the next generation are putting them off with the kind of crap they serve.”
- Professor Gary Bouma, Anglican priest at Saint John’s church in East Malvern and the UNESCO chairman in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations
“It is a logical necessity to get proselytisation out of the classroom”
- Waleed Aly, Monash University, Author, ’People Like Us: How Arrogance is Dividing Islam and the West‘
”In a multicultural society like ours, I am appalled that our state schools would promote one particular faith over all other world views, and would remove children whose families have different beliefs from the class.”
Sophie Aitken, FIRIS parent, mother of 3 boys
“This battle is one the advocates of what is called Special Religious Instruction are doomed to lose, because the high ground belongs to their opponents.”
Barney Zwartz, Religion Editor, The AGE, April 11, 2011
”The current system is unfair because it allows for indoctrination to occur. It allows for students to be instructed in one religion rather than giving them a broader perspective.”
InterAction co-founder Ali Majokah
“At school, there ought to be a general religious curriculum to introduce children to the ideas and motivations and rituals – in a word, the ethos – of all the religions.”
Father Bob Maguire, one of Australia’s genuine heroes
Another teacher, remarking on the difference between education and instruction, pointed out that “my role as a teacher is to ensure inquiry-based learning is free from dogma and conducive to objective, independent thought“. On the basis of that representative comment, RI clearly belongs outside school time.
Tony Taylor, Monash University, Associate Professor of Education; Ph.D. (Cambridge)
“Independent schools offered broad religious education taught by professional teachers, rather than the ”confessional” style of Christianity taught by Access Ministries’ volunteers. Access Ministries look for conversion – their understanding of Christian education is to get disciples”
The chaplain of Melbourne Grammar, Reverend Dr. Ron Noone
Hi,
thank you for the oppertunity to support this campaign. I wanted to draw your attention to a practise that happens in some secondary schools. Schools are often approached to run lunchtime activity programs that are aimed at students who are often less capable in social interactions. These sessions are run by ‘Christian’ groups and schools seem all too happy to accept their authenticity (for want of a better word). These groups are usually unsupervised and un- checked in relation to their organisations philosophy and most often there is no presentation of a Working with Children checks.
@Carol Hankinson
At my daughter’s school in Montmerency, a local church has been allowed access to the kids at lunchtime where they run a thing called ‘Chocolate Club’ The kids get chocolate if they show up. Of course lots of the kids see it as a scam, they just show up and game the church guys, but it’s still an egregious allowance by the school. I wonder what the school’s response would be if that was tried by some other religions … ?
Carol and Deane
You should formally write to the Minister and raise these issues, siting names and dates as evidence as the attitude to date is that there have been no complaints. Unless we get these issues constantly in front of the Department, we will not build up a body of evidence that these improprieties are occurring. I think it going to take a long time to change the system but the more complaints they have to investigate, the more of an issue it will become and that may speed up change – lets face it they wont be reading this web site
cheers
Lisa
Surely these legitimate concerns reinforce the importance of ensuring that any involvement of religious education in schools is conducted by organsations such as ACCESS Ministries – that represent a broad range of mainstream churches and properly accredit, train and supervise their employees and volunteers. Undermining such an organisation may have the unintended consequence of increasing the presence of unaccredited groups offering free lunchtime programs to under-resourced schools.
So what you are saying is that it is better to have a system that we know is we should be critical of, than one that we know nothing about?
I find it unbeliveable that a Christian religious minority (compared against the Australian population), can receive funding for spreading myths to impressionable children under the guise of the messages being in reality. My take is that all children should understand about religions of the world as part of their education and taught by trained teachers with bias, as history or geography is taught. The rest is up to the parents/guardians etc.
I meant to say “…..without bias…..”
“The Christian Right’s Stealth Assault on America’s Children” (Public Affairs, January 2012), that doing the research for the book took her to “dozens of cities and towns across the country … . [where she] found religion-driven programs and initiatives inserting themselves into public school systems with unprecedented force and unexpected consequences.”
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/node/41147
Peter, are you really that naive? Do you honestly think that training someone for ONE DAY is appropriate to then allow the teaching of impressionable very young minds? I want my children to grow up respectful of themselves and others, to realise that not everyone has a Christian faith in our world and I certainly don’t want a virtually untrained person teaching my children. How can we tolerate ths situation as a society? Imagine if all teachers had such little training! Educate children, not dictate their beliefs!
As a grandmother, I was so happy to hear the representative of FIRIS on ABC Radio this morning saying you are taking this to court in Victoria. Individual religions should not be taught in schools, that is a job for parents. However, teaching an overview and history of the many different religions around the world is important for a wide education and harmonious human relationships. Keep up the good work.
As a Christian RI teacher in the 1960s, my subsequent experience of has helped me to see how narrow-minded some Christians are to believe that their religion is superior to those of others. Major religions are full of old-fashioned beliefs and practices which, although they may have been relevant at the time of their formation, can detract from their message of love and compassion today. Children should be informed about different religious and cultural beliefs and practices in an objective professional manner, so that they can make their own decisions. Pearl.