The Rationalist Society of Australia is seeking confirmation from the new Queensland government over whether it will use taxpayers’ money to fund religious-based discrimination by inserting chaplains into public schools.

In a letter to Premier David Crisafulli (pictured) and education minister John-Paul Langbroek, RSA Executive Director Si Gladman raised concerns about the government’s plan to “expand school chaplaincy”.

According to an article published in the Courier-Mail earlier this month, Mr Crisafulli has asked Mr Langbroek to take the action as part of an effort to “crack down on school bullies”.

Mr Gladman noted that religious-based discrimination remained a systematic feature of the federally funded National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) in Queensland’s public schools.

Despite the Albanese government having provided school communities with the option to choose a secular wellbeing office, the chaplaincy positions in the program continue to be recruited through religious labour-hire firms that require candidates meet religious credentials.

“We believe that, in Queensland’s public schools, there should be no religious-based discrimination. Instead, suitably qualified youth workers should be eligible to work in Queensland’s government schools, regardless of their faith affiliation or lack of faith affiliation,” wrote Mr Gladman.

“Premier and Minister, can you confirm whether it is your government’s plan to provide funding to the NSWP for exclusively chaplains and not student wellbeing officers, or funding to the NSWP without such limitation?”

Mr Gladman noted that, previously, the Queensland Human Rights Commission had told the RSA that it would ask the Queensland Department of Education to address the discrimination in the hiring of chaplains.

He also warned that inserting religious agents in school communities was divisive and would put up barriers to children seeking pastoral support. 

He noted that testimony from parents and students in an evaluation report of the then National School Chaplaincy Program detailed concerns about inappropriate behaviour of chaplains, such as efforts to proselytise and promote off-site religious activities, and religious judgmentalism.

In June, the RSA called on Mr Crisafulli – the then Leader of the Opposition – to commit to moving the Religious Instruction (RI) program to outside school hours if elected to government.

We actively advocate for secular reform of the school chaplaincy program. Follow our campaign on the school chaplaincy issue here.

If you want to support our work, please make a donation or become a member.

Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.

Image: David Crisafulli MP (Facebook)

RSA letter to Premier Crisafulli and Minister Langbroek, 29 November 2024

Dear Premier and Mr Langbroek,

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

We were deeply concerned to read in the Courier Mail earlier this month that, as part of an effort to “crack down on school bullies”, your government will, among a number of measures, “expand school chaplaincy”.

While efforts to combat bullying in schools are, of course, commendable, the public funding of religious agents in chaplaincy roles is problematic for a number of reasons.

Religious-based discrimination remains a systematic feature of the federally funded National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) – formerly, National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP) – in Queensland’s public schools.

In 2023, we welcomed the federal government’s decision to provide school communities with the choice of appointing a secular student wellbeing officer, instead of only a chaplain. However, chaplains employed in the program are still required to be endorsed by a religious organisation. This is despite the Project Agreement – signed by Queensland – stating:

“…the NSWP is not a religious program and does not provide religious instruction or religious counselling to students.”

Yet, religious-based third-party providers of chaplains have restrictive hiring policies that discriminate against people not of their faith traditions. For example, in Queensland, Christian labour-hire firm Scripture Union says that:

“Chaplains are inspired by their Christian faith to serve those in need. They aim to model the love and compassion of Jesus Christ as they serve in schools.”

The Your Dream agency requires applicants to have:

“Endorsement letter from local church group”.

In 2020, we lodged a complaint with the Queensland Human Rights Commission, arguing that the practice of hiring for these roles based on religion was unlawful under the state’s Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act 1991. In response, Human Rights Commissioner Scott McDougall, in early 2021, told us:

“…I will write to the Department of Education to suggest changes [to the school chaplains program] addressing potential contraventions of the [Qld Anti-Discrimination] Act.”

Community members and organisations have, on a number of occasions, informed the state’s education department about breaches of the Anti-Discrimination Act by the third-party providers of chaplains. Also, in 2022, Scripture Union told the government’s review of the Anti-Discrimination Act that it wanted changes to the Act so it could “recruit Christian employees” in order to provide school chaplains.

Inserting religious agents into school communities also creates further problems. For many people, religion is divisive. This is especially so at a time when Queenslanders are increasingly walking away from religion. Based on the trend, Queenslanders identifying as ‘not religious’ – currently 41 per cent – will likely overtake Christians at the 2026 Census.

Religion also puts up barriers to people wanting to seek pastoral support. A 2022 evaluation of the then NSCP revealed that the perception of religious judgmentalism was a barrier to care for some students. In testimony to that evaluation, one student said:

“I am bisexual and there is no way I would want to talk to our Chaplain about these issues as she is a Christian and I do not trust her to give me good advice.”

The evaluation report also detailed parental and student concerns about inappropriate behaviour of religious chaplains, including efforts to proselytise and promote off-site religious activities, such as camps.

We believe that, in Queensland’s public schools, there should be no religious-based discrimination. Instead, suitably qualified youth workers should be eligible to work in Queensland’s government schools, regardless of their faith affiliation or lack of faith affiliation.

The Australian Capital Territory provides a model for Queensland to follow. In the ACT, school pastoral care workers funded through the NSWP are hired by schools directly on the basis of merit rather than through third-party providers.

Premier and Minister, can you confirm whether it is your government’s plan to provide funding to the NSWP for exclusively chaplains and not student wellbeing officers, or funding to the NSWP without such limitation?

We would appreciate an opportunity to discuss with you the concerns we have raised in this letter.

Regards,

Si Gladman

Executive Director,

Rationalist Society of Australia