Insight (1995)

Religion in the Classroom (2010x12)

: 25, 2010

Is there still room for God in the classroom? There's an upheaval happening in the teaching of religion in NSW's public primary schools. For more than 100 years more church leaders and volunteers have given religious instruction to primary school kids in public schools across Australia. This goes right back to legislation put in place in 1880. But for the kids whose parents don't want them to receive the religious instruction on offer, they often find themselves watching videos, colouring in or as some have put it 'twiddling their thumbs". Parents have asked for a more productive alternative. Currently in NSW, 10 primary schools are trialling a 10 week "ethics class" as an alternative to religious instruction. Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen has come out strongly against it and penned '10 reasons the Ethics Trial is not a good idea’’. The Catholic Church has said children who opt out shouldn’t be involved in any kind of formal class. The Anglicans reported that they lost 47 per cent of their religious classes to the ethics trial and they are not happy. They have joined with other Christian churches and launched a petition to save their scripture classes. Given that Australia is a secular country and home to people of many faiths, what religious education is appropriate in public schools? Insight brings together parents, children and faith leaders to discuss how religion should be taught in our public schools and whether there’s still room for God in 2010.