Well Now, What's All This?

[aesmael]

I suppose most people reading this will not have heard but lately our Prime Minister has announced $90 million dollars worth of funding to put chaplains in our public schools.

From (Caution: I seldom visit the site because it sets off Spybot) The Age:

"Government and non-government schools can get up to $20,000 a year to help them provide chaplaincy services under a three-year, $90 million program that Mr Howard announced yesterday."

The way I see it there are plenty of problems with this idea. For one, I am just plain uncomfortable with anything religious being placed in a position of authority in the public schooling system (we already have scripture classes). For another, how can this help but be discriminatory? There is a real diversity of belief in Australia and I don't see how even with all this extra funding a school could afford to cover all its students; nor do I expect a Hindu family would be pleased with their child receiving counselling from, say, a Buddhist. And thirdly, schools already have dedicated counsellors.

In another article (also from The Age) we have Education Minister Julie Bishop saying the program is not going to force religion on children, but rather provide choice. Really? Because otherwise it would just not be an option for kids to go see a rabbi if they felt the need? If a person's faith is so obscure they cannot find a local representative to talk with when they feel the need, well, good luck convincing the school to get a chaplain who suits your needs rather than those of the local majority (or whoever the school does go with).

Ah, but reading further we see she says the point is to teach children values. Well. I shall let that be for the moment and simply say I do not think religion is the sole or even best place for people to get their values.

Another quote from Julie Bishop: "What we're seeking to do is ensure that this is in the hands of the school community but if there were an aberrant decision, for example, the government would reserve the right to withhold funding until the community was able to sort it out."

The Age + John Howard: 'But those services are unlikely to include guidance by Scientologists, Falun Gong practitioners or Jehovah's Witnesses, Mr Howard admitted. "We're not going to discriminate, but clearly we reserve the right to say no to somebody who is plainly unacceptable, whatever that person's background might be," he said.'

So, only approved religions get to have their chaplains in schools. Not that I want Scientologists to have access to children, but how exactly will they be deciding which religions are acceptable and which are not? Only the true ones? Only the ones popular enough to raise a fuss at exclusion?

Alas, it seems the Labor party has decided this is a good idea (so the papers have said, I have not noticed any direct quotes), but at least some of the minor parties have retained their sense. The second page of the article is filled with quotes from Bob Brown of the Greens ("It's a misdirection of good public taxes. It should be going to people who have the professional skills to help counsel kids in schools for a whole range of issues that do worry kids in Australian schools."But it's a misdirected, misconfigured allocation of $90 million of taxpayers' money by John Howard.") and the members of the Democrats.

I suppose there might be some who still think this is a good idea, but would you really want the government being the ultimate arbiter of where your children are getting their moral guidance? Remember, they are choosing people for the purpose of instilling values in your children and - perhaps - you agree with the values of our present government (but others don't, and would not want those values forced on their children), but there is no guarantee it will continue.

Well, there is a transcript of an interview with Julie Bishop here and an article from the Sydney Morning Herald here. Finishing with a couple of quotes from the latter:

Former NSW Premier Bob Carr - "One of the sunniest facts about modern Australia is the tolerance that arises from living in a secular society."

Principal Judy King - "Why do we need to bring religion into it? We are a secular society."

Edit: X-Posted to trans_atheists
Edit: Added missing 'you' to 4th last paragraph.

Comments

[aesmael.livejournal.com]

I honestly do not know - still trying to find my way in the world of politics, what I have now is mostly ideals and convictions rather than savvy. But it could be so. Certainly they seem to have been engaged in a program of selling off and privatising government facilities since they have been in power.

I'm afraid I probably know the United States' politics (and certainly politicians!) better than my local ones since I think all the political writing I have come across on the net is focused there.

But I am trying to learn. Australian politics is something else I have been meaning to write about as I study. Got to vote for someone soon.

Acin' it so far

[mbains.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to tell you that your politi-reporting is Very Good. You ask relevant/pertinent questions and supply thoughtful comment'ry on the topic.

And your writing is flowing as well, which makes the ideas proffe'd more readily comprehended.

Nice.

And "Good Luck" w/ that Chaplaincy BS. Honestly, I only occasionally profer the idea that Religion is on its way out. It's just been around too long and is Still such a hugenormous part of sooo many folks' lives that that idea seems incredibly premature.

But it is moves like this (Public School Chaplains???) which smack so smartly of desperation, my belief that institutionalized superstition is actually waning is indeed waxing anew.

Still, it's been a long time a'coming, and has a looong way yet to go.

Thanks for the info, Aes. L8

Re: Acin' it so far

[aesmael.livejournal.com]

Ayah, thanks be for the head-swelling compliment

I should say I used to think the same way about the eventual extinction of religion, and mayhap I still do, but it is a long way off yet by the look of things and we still have to deal with what goes here and now (or how else is the future of our ideal to be realised?). I find it helpful to meditate on this passage to keep me mindful of the extent of the problem: http://aesmael.livejournal.com/6040.html