Education

Overview

Current NSW Department of Education and Training policy guidelines for primary schools ban the teaching of any secular based ethics material whatsoever to children who are not attending special religious education (SRE) classes. After banning any educational lessons from being taught to non-religious or minority religious children in this compulsory hour of the school week, they go on to make a special ban against ethics to be taught to these children. The children are deliberately denied an education in ethics. Instead the instruction to school principals is for "minimum supervision", that is, to do the least possible under the law for these children. This is discrimination.

Sydney Atheists would like these children to have the opportunity to learn something during this compulsory hour of school. The best thing for them to learn would be ethics based on values of compassion, tolerance and equality.

What is the NSW Department of Education and Training Policy on Religious Education?

Religious Education in NSW is divided into two areas, GRE (General Religious Education) and SRE (Special Religious Education). The relevant Act that refers to the teaching of religious edication in NSW schools is referred to as the Education Act 1990. 

GRE  is a normal subject in which students are able to enrole. It has its own syllabus set by NSW DET and classes are offered at regular times each week in line with any other subject taught at NSW schools. It is part of the Key Learning Area "Human Society and Its Environment."

SRE is different. The course is not regulated by any particular NSW DET syllabus, but rather is regulated by the syllabus documents that each authorised religious institution concocts, assuming that these individually concocted documents meet the guidelines set out by NSW DET in their Policy Implimentation document. It is compulsary that this subject be offered at any NSW school for an average of one hour per week should an authorised religious institution request that it be allowed to teach at that particular school.

The implimentation of SRE in NSW public schools was greatly informed by a report commissioned in 1981 titled "Religion In Education In NSW Government Schools," otherwise known as the Rawlinson Report. The government of NSW took on many of the recommendations given in the report. An overview of the Rawlinson Report can be viewed here.

Also of significance for understanding SRE in NSW schools is the NSW DET Policy implimentation document for Religious Education. Note especially 3.11, which states that students not attending SRE classes should be engaged in homework, self study or reading (remember we’re talking about primary school students), and that whatever activity these students are engaged in, it “should neither compete with SRE nor be alternative lessons in the subjects within the curriculum or other areas, such as, ethics, values, civics or general religious education” (emphasis added). Further to this, 3.12 states that “[o]nly those persons authorised by approved religious persuasions may be involved in the provision of SRE.”

The list of authorised religious institutions is maintainedby NSW DET, which is advised in this regard by an organisation called ICCOREIS (Inter-Church Commission on Religious Education in Schools). ICCOREIS has an advisory board made up of both popular and minority religious groups, and is dominated by mainstream Christian interests. The relevant parts of the Education Act 1990 that refer to SRE are sections 26, 30, 32 and 33. Parents and Citizens organisations can also have some input into the teaching of SRE (as per part 11 - Parent and citizens and kindred associations - see especially section 116 c).

According to NSW DET, children are assigned to SRE classes based on the specification of their religious persuasion at their time of enrolement in school. A statement is made by the parent on the Application to Enrol in a NSW Public School as to their child's religion. If the child has no religion then ‘No Religion’ is entered on the application. If many SRE operators are active in the school, a letter requesting preferred SRE provider and possible alternative providers is sent to parents. NSW DET notes that “[s]chools should make every attempt to have all these forms returned, especially when they are used at times, other than at enrolment, to help with in the operation of SRE. In accordance with the Department’s policy on SRE, the default position for placement into SRE classes is the information provided at enrolment and not a “nil response” from a “sample letter to parents.”

See the Education Resources page for resources for action on secular ethics, a list of partner organisations, and resources relating to the NSW Department of Education and Training policy on Special Religious Education.