More than 20 years after God’s bikies revved up my school, the Victorian Education Department still forces its primary schools to hold ”special religious instruction” taught by volunteers.
While other religious groups – including Jewish, Islamic and Hare Krishna – are accredited to run classes, 96 per cent are taught by Christian education provider Access Ministries.
The education department says schools, by law, must offer religious classes if approached by accredited course providers. This is despite the fact that less than 10 per cent of the population goes to church each week.
Oh, brother. Are we really to believe a sensitive atheist-child was permanently put off the Eagles by a domineering Christian teacher? Really? Like no Christian student has ever been subjected to a proselytizer from another denomination or by an irreligious teacher? If we banned every topic that could be poorly taught or used to promote some misguided philosophy there wouldn’t be much left in the curriculum. The truth has a way of fending for herself. Banning any course of study if a bad idea. Religion should be taught. Science should be taught. Statistics should be taught. All three and many more have been used and abused and twisted around by teachers with an agenda. Even worse, they’ve been taught by incompetent teachers with no agenda. And frankly, I don’t believe the stories told in this so-called “Religion Editor” about children frightened to death by bizarre stories. Come on. Have you ever read Grimm’s Fairy Tales? Sheesh. Of course, age-appropriate material should be taught. But, it’s a parent’s job to pay attention to what kids are being taught and trim the sails where needed, recognizing that a day will come when kids have to choose for themselves what they will believe. Why is that so frightening to some people who supposedly have the education to know better?
Amen. Most “scripture teaching” in Australian schools can’t be faulted. But there is always someone with a hobby-horse.
It is impossible to understand Western literature from 1000 AD to the 1990’s without at least a nominal understanding of Christianity/Judism. It is also impossible to fully appreciate Western civilization and government without an understanding of the same. Of course, that is what the deconstructionists are trying to deconstruct.
Back in the ‘DAY” I mean 40s-50s, kids in elementary schools (K-6) were allowed once a week “Release Time”. This was provided by several local churches, synagoges, etc. Sometimes there was even a bus-ride.. It was sort of like Sunday School.. No one was forced to go, and parental permission was crucial.. Just say’n..
We had PE TOO…. LONG LONG AGO..
Grandmother