COLUMNS

G'day from the Sentinel Team

This update focusses on the new Education Bill's proposed changes to Religious Education.

Rod Welford, Minister for Education the Arts assured concerned parents that he has "no intention of withdrawing religious education" from schools. The draft of the proposed Bill however, leans towards an "inclusive approach to religious instruction ... The Bill provides the opportunity for parents to have their preferred instruction for their child where an appropriate program is available".

However, as Member for Maroochydore, Fiona Simpson points out "the Beattie Labor Government is trying to play down the significance of the changes."

Fiona believes that the the intent of the changes is far more sinister and is the first step in a greater long-term plan to phase out traditional religious education.

Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, says, "the changes would enhance the rights of parents. He said religious extremists, crackpots and lunatics would be kept out of Queensland schools." (Link)

PLEASE PRAY for Religious Instructors in our schools - For Wisdom, For Support from Churches and Parents, For Discernment ....

Under His Banner


Bev Holmes-Brown

The following is adapted from information found in the Explanatory booklet for the Draft Education Bill 2006:

What is it?


The Draft Education (General Provisions) Bill 2006 brings legislation relating to schooling under one umbrella.

It is described as a legislative framework for the education system that supports the demands of modern schooling ... now ... and into the future.


The Goal

The goal is for the children of Queensland to "receive quality learning that will positively influence their future and enable them to reach their full potential."

In October 2004 the QLD Gov. released a consultation paper "Education Laws For the Future" that presented 12 key that promoted discussion about the direction of education in QLD.

Accordingly "1100 people attended community forums throughout QLD and more than 800 principals and representatives from peak organisations and government departments attended a series of meetings.

Comments were invited until 17th March 2006.

Changes to Religious Instruction

According to the Draft Proposal, Religious Instruction providers will need to gain approval for their program (existing providers will have 12 months from commencement to meet the new requirements).

Schools will need to seek parent's consent for their child's participation in the program. This reverses the present system where all children receive RI and those who opt out have special permission to do so.


Where to From here?

Once feedback has been considered the draft Education Bill will be finalised and introduced to Parliament for debate. Once passed by Parliament, the Bill will be assented to and then be known as an "Act"

The new Act will be supported by a Regulation. The approval for the Regulation will follow a separate process through Governor-in-Council. Both the Regulation and the new Act will commence at the same time.

The likely commencement date is July 1, 2006

Broader religion classes backed
Melissa Maugeri
April 19, 2006

SMALLER religious groups have welcomed a proposal to change laws that would allow parents to decide who offers spiritual instruction to their children in schools. The changes, to be enacted this year in Queensland state schools, came despite protests from Christian churches worried about marginalising religion in schools.

...groups such as the Hare Krishnas say giving parents and students wider alternatives would encourage tolerance. Hare Krishna teacher Taraka Deve Dasi said Hare Krishna classes were already held in some schools.

... Muslim community spokesman Mohamad Abdalla said a larger variety of religious education within schools would generate more acceptance and tolerance.

... Humanist Maria Proctor, who wants to teach humanist values at Wishart State School, agreed that the teaching of the humanist belief system was not religious education. But she said teaching humanist values would be an alternative for state school students already withdrawn from religion classes.

... Church of Scientology spokesman Nick Broadhurst said his church would be happy to supply volunteers to teach the basic tenets of Scientology if there were demand from parents.

... "Scientologists are Christian, Muslim and Hindu," he said.

The Opposition has said it will oppose the laws and MP Fiona Simpson said the changes could see philosophies including satanism and witchcraft taught in schools, despite assurances that extreme groups would be kept out. "There's a danger this will see religious education marginalised," Ms Simpson said.

Read Full Article: http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,18856965-3102,00.html

Unlocking the mysteries of history through the language of faith
Sydney Morning Herald
April 19, 2006,

Teaching young people about different belief systems will let them enter the world fully fledged, writes Emily Maguire

...The Queensland changes recognise the fact that Australia has no official religion and so state-sponsored religious education should not be the default...

... NSW public schools are required to provide Special Religious Education, or scripture as it is often called, for up to an hour a week. Lessons are taught by volunteers from "approved religious groups" while students who do not attend, whether because their parents are non-religious or because their faith is not catered for, take part in "supervised private study".

Rather than segregating students according to faith background and sending them off to separate rooms for religious instruction, public schools should replace Special Religious Education with a compulsory, wide-ranging religious education course. Such a course would not preach or proselytise for any faith, but would examine the impact of religious belief on art, literature, science and human development. It would be grounded in the understanding that whether one is a Hindu, Christian, Muslim or atheist, God, in one form or another, is everywhere.

.... Without an understanding of historical Christianity, studying Shakespeare or George Eliot is a shallow experience. Without knowledge of Islam, an understanding of the history of architecture, mathematics and poetry must be limited. The history of the Far East and India is steeped in the traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism, and the Middle East and much of modern Europe is profoundly influenced by Judaism.

Almost every war has had a religious context; not least the war on terrorism, which is likely to rage on throughout the lives of today's students. Religion plays a large role, too, in the cultural wars being fought over and around the bodies, hearts and minds of our young people. We live, to misquote Carl Sagan, in a God-haunted world, and it is this world in which our children must learn how to live.

...Teaching and nurturing religious faith is the responsibility of parents and religious institutions. Teaching young people to understand their world is the responsibility of schools...

Read Full Article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/unlocking-history-through-the-language-of-faith/2006/04/18/1145344080027.html

With thanks to the National Alliance of Christian Leaders for this Article:


Church Vilified in Classrooms.

Kevin Donnelly: Religious wars have no place in our school education system

The Australian, April 18, 2006


THE Australian Multicultural Foundation recently launched a series of books for primary schools titled Harmony and Understanding. The rationale for the series is to "foster a better understanding and respect for cultures and traditions of Australian society".

One hopes that the editors of Jacaranda Press's Year 7 and 8 textbook SOSE Alive 2 will study the Harmony and Understanding material, because they are in urgent need of guidance about what constitutes religious intolerance.

In its teachings about medieval life, the Jacaranda book presents the Catholic Church in a negative light, portraying its teachings as based on fear and its monks as indolent and selfish. As if that's not bad enough, the accompanying CD vilifies icons central to the church's faith.

One of the scenes shows a medieval village where a heretic is about to be burned. Close by is a religious figure holding a cross incorporating the figure of Jesus; after clicking on the cross it changes into what appears to be a witch's broom.

Whether intended or not, the implication is that Catholicism equates with witchcraft and superstition. In the same scene, several religious figures are shown looking at the figure tied to the stake. On clicking on the head-piece of what appears to be a senior member of the church, it changes into a dunce's cap.

That students are expected to see the church as the villain is confirmed when they click on the word "heretic" inscribed above the victim's head. It changes to "heroine" and there is no doubt where the allegiance lies of those responsible for the material.

The most unsettling thing about the Jacaranda book's treatment of Christianity is that it illustrates, once again, how left-wing thought police have succeeded in their long march through the education system.

Forget Woodstock, Vietnam moratoriums and flower power; the cultural revolution of the '70s and '80s was also about the way education was identified as a critical instrument to overturn the status quo.

Former Victorian education minister and premier Joan Kirner told the Fabian society in 1983:

"If we are egalitarian in our intention we have to reshape education so that it is part of the socialist struggle for equality, participation and social change rather than an instrument of the capitalist system..."

Full article: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18831742-7583,00.html

School Religion Check

Darrell Giles

April 16, 2006


PREMIER Peter Beattie has vowed to keep "crackpots, lunatics and religious extremists" out of Queensland schools under law changes governing religious education.

... the Government would not allow into schools those people who took extreme positions.

"The main change being contemplated is finding the best system of providing school principals with enforceable and clearer guidelines about who can and can't be admitted to schools to talk to children about religion," he said.

Read Full Article: http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,
18823227%255E2765,00.html

God of Choice

Ruth Mathewson,
Courier Mail
April 15, 2006,


ANY belief system could soon be taught in Queensland state schools following changes to the laws governing religious education.

The changes will allow any group – religious or not – to offer spiritual instruction to children, provided their parents agree.

The Beattie Government has pressed ahead with the changes despite the protests of Christian churches worried about marginalising religion in schools. They are included in the recent overhaul of the Education Act, which will herald a new era for Queensland's 470,000 state school children.

... Under section 75 of the Education (General Provisions) Bill 2006, due to be enacted this year, no student will attend religious education lessons unless their parents write to the school requiring them to do so.

Read Full Article: http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,18819403-952,00.html

Also found at News.Com.au: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18817874-421,00.html

The Centre for Policy and Development Systems states that it's intention is to "address local and global issues from the perspective of QUEENSLAND"

John Craig is the principle of CPDS. He has over 20 years generalist experience in strategic policy research, development and application, with the Coordinator General’s and Premier’s Departments in Queensland

Here we excerpt sections of a submission on Education Laws for the Future, which was a paper produced by the QLD Department of Education in 2004, that relate to our topic of Religious Education:

"proposed changes regarding Religious Education require reconsideration to ensure that religious, spiritual or philosophical programs that might be taught in State Schools be limited to those that are actually compatible with democracy and with the individual liberty that is an even more basic foundation of Australia's legal and governance system..."
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Spiritual and Philosophical Programs must be Compatible with Australia's Institutions

The broad intent of the proposed changes with respect to religious education are that (to conform with changes within the community) there should be provision for qualified organizations to present spiritual or philosophical programs in state schools in response to parental demand in parallel with traditional religious education.

At the same time the draft Guiding Principles state that education must "provide for a democratic society".

However there are many religious, spiritual and philosophical traditions that are opposed to democracy to a greater or lesser extent.

For example, Islamism (one example of a modern ideology that opposes democracy [1]) is being spread in SE Asia through funding for religious education (eg see 1, 2, 3). And there are others that are opposed to democracy in less extremist ways (see examples in Competing Civilizations). Moreover:

• societies in East Asia tend to accept epistemologies which do not give much weight to abstract concepts. In the absence of 'public truth' there is little solid basis for public policy debate to to challenge the opinions of the powerful, and societies tend to be autocratic. For a similar reason they also tend to involve social hierarchies - because these can be vital to ensure unity in the absence of agreement on 'public truths' (see comments in Competing Civilizations);
  
  
• ... there seem to be elements in Queensland's Study of Society and Environment and English syllabus which undermine the foundations of democratic government.
  

Thus it is vital that the Education Act ensures that compatibility with democracy, egalitarianism and so on actually receives close attention.

This condition can not be met unless the proposed new Act requires that :

• the values that are inherent in democracy and other key values be identified;
• and the values implicit in various religious, spiritual or philosophical programs be evaluated for their compatibility.

This matter does not seem to have received adequate attention.

• For example: Professor Brian Hill (Murdoch University) suggests religion should be part of state school curriculum to instill values. Young people need to know of moral principles and values and world-views underpinning them.
  
  Schools have been encouraged to take religion out - leaving values in free-fall - which is counterproductive to balanced education.
  
  Values are needed to give people reasons to go on living. If a person's framework is damaged, then suicide can be seen as an option. Professor Hill argues that schools should teach both religious and non-religious values. PM has accused some state schools of being values neutral.
  
  Professor Hill argues that introducing values education in vacuum will not solve students search for meaning - as values can not be separated from wider world views. Educators need to endorse democratic values. As traditional values have been challenged and the range of possibilities enlarged by ethnic diversification - value such as democracy can be challenged. Social researchers and educators (who focus on rights and procedures) can be blind to actual values inherent in democracy (Symons E., 'State schools need religion to instill values', Australian, 25/10/04) .

However even more fundamental to Australia's legal and governance systems is their highly unusual assumption of individual liberty. In a 2001 analysis, Competing Civilizations, the present author suggested that:

• this characteristic has arisen mainly under Christ-ian traditions - apparently because Christ-ian teaching locates the ethical guide to moral interpersonal relationships in individual consciences. Individual liberty can not be assumed, and in practice is not assumed, under those religious, spiritual and philosophical traditions which require that ethical interpersonal relationships be externally enforced through moral law or social elites;
  
  
• and the assumption of individual liberty has been critical to the effective use of rationality as a means for effective problem solving - a technique which has led to significant economic advantages.

Thus perhaps as important as compatibility with democracy is that the Education Act ensure that the religious, spiritual and philosophical programs taught in state schools provide the flexible basis for moral interpersonal relationships that is required to sustain individual liberty. This is considered further in The Importance of Values Taught in State Schools.

Thus while parents should be able to choose which program their children participate in, the Education Act must recognize that:

• religious, spiritual and philosophical traditions have real-world consequences for social, political and economic outcomes; and that
• compatibility with the institutional foundations of Australia's system of government (eg in terms of individual liberty, democracy) is not automatic.

If schools unknowingly allow ideologies to be promulgated that are not compatible with advantageous characteristics of Australia's institutions, the latter could be damaged in the medium to long term.

John Craig


For Full Article Visit : http://cpds.apana.org.au/Documents/Crisis_in_GQ/Articles/EduLawReview.htm

Christian Chaplains in Queensland state schools

Hon. Rod Welford
Minister for Education and the Arts.

10 September 05

Dear Minister,

Thank you for your letter dated 5th September 05 regarding Chaplaincy programs in Queensland State Schools.

It is pointless, other than an exercise in robotics, in making reference to obsolete, impracticable and non-policeable policies, in lieu of answering pertinent questions relating to Chaplaincy programs.

If Chaplaincy programs in State Schools were not riddled with such inconsistency and bias advantageously affecting proselytising Christian Fundamentalist evangelism, answers from your department would be straightforward and enlightening. It is more than disappointing they have not been.

The AFA is willing to wait for conclusions of the ‘review of the Chaplaincy Services in Queensland State Schools in conjunction with the review of the laws relating to religious instruction’.

However, because of the unworkable system that has allowed for the existence of the present dismal situation, the AFA has no confidence that radical and necessary change will be an outcome.

On receiving the results of the review, they will be examined with their efficacy judged, by the questions we will then pose, receiving full and honest answers. This has not been a strong point of your department under the old system.

Minister, with all due respect, well might you state in you final comment; “Thank you again for your interest in the welfare of the students in Queensland state schools.” Your government has bowed willingly to religious pressure groups, whose only mission in life is to gain converts to a particular fantasy. They understand public apathy aids their cause. The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc is proud to add its name to the list of organisations and individuals who have actual interest in the mental welfare of students and the democracy they will one day manage.

The Constitution for the Commonwealth states: 116. The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

The question therefore has to be asked: Why have state governments taken it on themselves to override the intent behind the Constitution to promote Christian religion, and in the case of Chaplaincy, a divisive, backward thinking Fundamentalism, in State Schools.

Yours Sincerely,

David Nicholls
President
Atheist Foundation of Australia

Source Link: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/subqld.htm

There more letters published after this one ... follow the above link and scroll down to read the correspondence between AFA and Government Departments.