Member
for Ballina and NSW Greens spokesperson for Education, Tamara Smith,
has criticised the NSW Government’s rejection of of the recommendation
in the independent review
into scripture teaching in NSW public schools that religion be an
opt-in for students rather than compulsory unless you opt-out.
The
recommendations about school enrolment forms and making Special
Religious Education (SRE) an opt-in option for students was not
supported by the NSW Government in its response
to the 2015 review which has only just been publically released,
despite the Greens asking for the release of the report for 12 months.
“It
should be an opt-in option for SRE, not an opt-out. Religious
instruction is extracurricular for state funded schools, it is not the
core business of Public Schools. The
NSW Government has decided that state schools are Christian by default.
“If
students across NSW Public Schools were automatically opted in to
Islamic studies, for example, when they enrolled there would be an
absolute furore.”
“Why
then is there the assumption that students in a secular nation, in
secular schools, should be enrolled in studies of predominantly
Judaeo-Christian traditions?” said Ms
Smith.
The
review recommended that students not participating in SRE should
continue their regular classwork, but the NSW Government’s response is
that ‘no academic instruction or
formal school activities should occur during time set aside for SRE.’
“If
parents and young people wish to sign up for scripture lessons they can
elect to do so and those lessons should be given outside of the
curriculum. Those students who have
not chosen scripture studies should be able to continue with their
education,” said Ms Smith.
12 April 2017
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