The Rationalist Society has called on New South Wales Labor to end its support for segregating children along religious lines in public schools through the Special Religious Education (SRE) program.

In a letter to Labor’s education spokesperson Prue Car (pictured) and multiculturalism spokesperson Steve Kamper, RSA president Dr Meredith Doig argued that public schools should not be treated as mission fields and asked that Labor change its policy on SRE in the lead-up to the state election.

Dr Doig expressed her disappointment that Ms Car and Mr Kamper had both attended an event framed as “celebrating” SRE in late November 2022.

“Far from celebrating SRE, the Labor Party of New South Wales should be committing to removing SRE from the state’s public schools. The SRE program promotes the segregation of children along religious lines within the classrooms of New South Wales public schools,” Dr Doig said.

“In continuing to allow religious missionaries to enter classrooms to preach to some children, a Labor government would be supporting the disruption of precious learning time, splitting children up based on the religious differences of their parents, and rendering thousands of children having to fill their time, if they’re lucky, with non-curriculum activities such as reading or homework.” 

At the event celebrating SRE, held at the state parliament, Ms Car said SRE provided parents with “choice”, as they were able to send the children to SRE, Special Education in Ethics classes, or other “meaningful activities”.

In her letter, Dr Doig rejected the claim and said tens of thousands of parents in New South Wales had no choice but to have their child’s public school education disrupted at the behest of religious interests.

Dr Doig said that, instead of segregating children, public schools should provide General Religious Education or Worldviews Education (including secular humanism) for all children, with the program taught by professional teachers and featuring a curriculum approved and endorsed by the state’s education department.

“It is the state’s responsibility to ensure that children learn about all faiths and worldviews (including secular humanism), not to divide them by religious denomination,” she said.

Victoria removed special religious instruction from its public schools in 2015.

Image: Prue Car (Facebook)

Letter to Ms Car and Mr Kamper, 9 January 2023

Dear Ms Car and Mr Kamper,

I’m writing on behalf of the Rationalist Society of Australia, Australia’s oldest freethought organisation advocating reason, evidence-based policy and secularism.

We are disappointed to see that you both attended an event on Monday 28 November that was framed as “celebrating” the Special Religious Education (SRE) program and the “value” it provides for multicultural Australia.

Far from celebrating SRE, the Labor Party of New South Wales should be committing to removing SRE from the state’s public schools. The SRE program promotes the segregation of children along religious lines within the classrooms of New South Wales public schools.

In continuing to allow religious missionaries to enter classrooms to preach to some children, a Labor government would be supporting the disruption of precious learning time, splitting children up based on the religious differences of their parents, and rendering thousands of children having to fill their time, if they’re lucky, with non-curriculum activities such as reading or homework. 

Far from providing “choice” for parents – as you, Ms Car, argued in your speech to the ‘Celebrate Special Religious Education’ event – Labor’s endorsement of the SRE program leaves tens of thousands of parents with no choice but to have their child’s public school education disrupted at the behest of religious interests. SRE is divisive within public school communities and makes many parents and children feel alienated and excluded. 

Instead of segregating children, by allowing instruction in separate faith traditions, New South Wales public schools should provide General Religious Education or Worldviews Education (including secular humanism) for all children, with the program taught by professional teachers and featuring a curriculum approved and endorsed by the state’s education department. It is the state’s responsibility to ensure that children learn about all faiths and worldviews (including secular humanism), not to divide them by religious denomination.

In the lead-up to the state election, will New South Wales Labor commit to changing its current policy of supporting continued segregation through the SRE program in public schools?

In 2015, the Victorian government acted to ensure the integrity of public school education by removing SRI (Special Religious Instruction) from precious class time and treating it as any other elective, allowing it outside of school hours for those who wanted it. Public schools should not be used as mission fields for any religion; class time should be reserved for government-approved curricula, taught by professionally trained teachers. We urge you to similarly assure the integrity of NSW public school education.

Sincerely,

Meredith Doig,

President, Rationalist Society of Australia