IN THE NEWS

Greens push for counsellors, not chaplains

THE AGE
March, 27 2010

THE Greens want to scrap the national school chaplaincy program and replace it with a scheme to help schools employ counsellors and community liaison officers.

Greens leader Bob Brown will announce the plan in a speech to a public education forum in Canberra today.

Senator Brown said the chaplaincy program, introduced by the Howard government in 2007, was ''a very old idea, very much short of meeting the needs of schools in 2010. It has a religious basis whereas we are wanting to fund the program according to the needs of students,'' he said.

READ MORE

Greens push for counsellors, not chaplains

THE AGE
March, 27 2010

THE Greens want to scrap the national school chaplaincy program and replace it with a scheme to help schools employ counsellors and community liaison officers.

Greens leader Bob Brown will announce the plan in a speech to a public education forum in Canberra today.

Senator Brown said the chaplaincy program, introduced by the Howard government in 2007, was ''a very old idea, very much short of meeting the needs of schools in 2010. It has a religious basis whereas we are wanting to fund the program according to the needs of students,'' he said.

READ MORE

National Schools Chaplaincy Program

HSQ strongly opposes the placement of almost exclusively Christian Chaplains in State Schools. Children may have problems they feel they cannot discuss with either parents or teachers and at times need someone who is sympathetic and non-judgmental. Unfortunately the Federal Government’s response to this problem was to launch the National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP). At a time of ever increasing social pressures on children, what is needed is an enhancement of professional school counselling services. We are very concerned at the potential division caused by the NSCP, within the religiously diverse environment of state schools.

1. If you are a parent of a child in a Queensland State School, be aware that you can withdraw your child from all religious instruction (including contact with the chaplain). If after consultation with your child/ren you decide upon withdrawing your children from contact with the chaplain, ensure your school complies with your wishes.

 

2. Write to your local MP expressing your concerns about the National Schools Chaplaincy Program.

3. If you belong to a minority group (religious or non-religious) and have concerns that the National Schools Chaplaincy Program is exclusionary and does not respect our children’s right to freedom of belief, HSQ would like to hear from you. We are interested in liaising with other minority groups (religious or non-religious) who feel they are disadvantaged by the program and concerned about the divisions it could cause within our schools. 

If you wish to find out more please submit a contact form.

 

HSQ strongly opposes the placement of almost exclusively Christian Chaplains in State Schools. Children may have problems they feel they cannot discuss with either parents or teachers and at times need someone who is sympathetic and non-judgmental. Unfortunately the Federal Government’s response to this problem was to launch the National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP). At a time of ever increasing social pressures on children, what is needed is an enhancement of professional school counselling services. We are very concerned at the potential division caused by the NSCP, within the religiously diverse environment of state schools.

1. If you are a parent of a child in a Queensland State School, be aware that you can withdraw your child from all religious instruction (including contact with the chaplain). If after consultation with your child/ren you decide upon withdrawing your children from contact with the chaplain, ensure your school complies with your wishes.

 

2. Write to your local MP expressing your concerns about the National Schools Chaplaincy Program.

3. If you belong to a minority group (religious or non-religious) and have concerns that the National Schools Chaplaincy Program is exclusionary and does not respect our children’s right to freedom of belief, HSQ would like to hear from you. We are interested in liaising with other minority groups (religious or non-religious) who feel they are disadvantaged by the program and concerned about the divisions it could cause within our schools. 

If you wish to find out more please submit a contact form.

 

 Go

VIDEO GALLERY