The Rationalist Society of Australia has warned the Queensland government that its decision to fund religious chaplains to operate in its public schools will breach the state’s own anti-discrimination laws.
In a letter to Attorney-General Deb Frecklington today, RSA Executive Director Si Gladman said the funding of chaplains would contravene provisions against discrimination on the basis of religious belief or religious activity in the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld).
The Crisafulli government will provide extra funding for chaplains and wellbeing officers as part of a $33 million plan to tackle bullying.
Earlier this year, Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek told the RSA that the extra funding would allow schools a choice of either a chaplain or a wellbeing officer under the National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP). However, Minister Langbroek has not responded to further questioning from the RSA on what steps he would take to end the religious-based discrimination in the hiring practices of chaplains in Queensland’s public schools.
Under the NSWP, schools outsource the chaplaincy roles to faith-based third-party providers that require job candidates to have religious credentials, such as endorsement from a religious minister and connections with a church community.
Such requirements prevent non-religious wellbeing support professionals from working in these roles.
Mr Gladman told the Attorney-General that the RSA, other advocacy groups and parents had, on numerous occasions, raised concerns about the discriminatory nature of the hiring practices with the Department of Education.
He also pointed out that Queensland’s Human Rights Commissioner had, in correspondence with the RSA in 2021, said he would be engaging with the Department of Education to “suggest changes [to the school chaplains program] addressing potential contraventions of the [Qld Anti-Discrimination] Act.” As the RSA reported later in 2021, the Human Rights Commission confirmed that it subsequently met with the department and raised issues including “compliance with the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991”.
“Attorney-General, do you accept that state funding of school chaplains, based on religious criteria, constitutes a breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)?”
“We support the need for more wellbeing support for children in government schools. Instead of funding religious-based providers to hire chaplains according to religious credentials, we urge the Crisafulli government to directly fund schools to employ wellbeing professionals based on merit – the appropriate qualifications and experience.”
At a Queensland parliamentary committee hearing in April, Sharon Schimming, Director-General of the state Department of Education, welcomed the funding for extra chaplains and wellbeing officers.
“The additional chaplaincy and wellbeing support is key for us to have that focus so we can improve learning outcomes for children,” she said.
As the RSA reported earlier this month, other states are allowing schools to use funds from the NSWP to directly employ professional wellbeing staff, instead of going through third-party religious providers.
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Si Gladman is Executive Director at the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.
Image: Deb Frecklington MP (Facebook)