Churches seek middle ground on gay students
The law shouldn’t allow religious organisations to discriminate just because of their sexual orientation, a Sydney Anglican bishop has claimed. But students who come out as gay or atheist in a religious school should consider leaving voluntarily.
South Sydney Bishop Robert Forsyth made the concession as gay rights groups called for anti-discrimination law exemptions to be limited to professed faith, not a catchall waiver for discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
I don’t support an exemption for [sexual] orientation as a grounds for discrimination, Forsyth told Sydney Star Observer.
I’ve got friends who are oriented a certain way but whose practices are consistent with the teaching of the Christian faith.
Instead, religious exemptions should allow organisations to freely define the ethos and behaviours they expect, he said. I shouldn’t have to justify it to an intrusive state.
The comments reveal that a middle ground is possible with equality groups currently lobbying for a new federal anti-discrimination law covering sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Anglican Bishop’s view that religious organisations should not be provided an exemption on the grounds of sexual orientation is a further sign the Federal Government is behind the public regarding this issue, Australian Coalition for Equality spokesman Corey Irlam said.
It’s outrageous to think a same-sex partner could be discriminated against in 2009. After 14 years it’s time for the Federal Government to introduce laws protecting the LGBT community from discrimination.
Religious schools are also exempted from some federal and state anti-discrimination law, but Forsyth said he wouldn’t like to see religious exemptions used against students.
[When] a child says they are homosexual, have deep feelings, or even behaviour, you don’t bully them, even if you deeply disagree with them, he said.
But if any student’s behaviour is undermining the values of the school, whether it’s homosexuality or atheism, the school should ask -˜you’re being disruptive to our resources, could you leave?’
Former Pitt Street Uniting Church minister Rev Dorothy McRae-McMahon doubted the same request would be asked of students who committed other -˜sins’.
It’s giving up on them. Even if they’re right in their view of sexuality -” and I don’t think they are -” it’s leaving the child with a negative impression, she said. And if it follows them being bullied then it implies that its OK to bully someone who is different.
McRae-McMahon thought it was time to completely rethink the way religious exemptions are implemented, particularly in organisations providing services on behalf of the government.
As a community, I believe that we are getting much closer to being in a position to insist that, if a religious school or institution receives beyond a certain percentage of funding, it must allow for the human rights of the community to be upheld in its staffing.
So do girls who get pregnant (outside of marriage) get told to “leave please” because they are “disruptive” to the schools resources???? …I don’t think so…
And as for teachers getting discriminated against, they are adults and can fend for themselves. They can always work in the public system (or is that beneath them?). Stop supporting these archaic institutions by wanting to work for them!
It’s GLBT young people that should be our first priority because they get NO say in where they have to be 5 days a week! Adults have a choice! students don’t!
If religious schools don’t want to teach gay students they should stop taking tax payers dollars. I won’t be holding my breath on that one.
Anon – Sadly nothing has really changed, If schools don’t want to employ gay teachers then what chance does an openly gay student have.
This brings back bad memories of highschool. I was sent to a christian highschool but realized I was once I was enrolled there for a year. Some of the teachers who figured out I was gay made me feel like a freak. One teacher in particular made gay jokes with all the other males in the class while i was sitting on the other side of the room, dieing inside. I had no one to turn too, since all the messages I got from people were hate for people like me.
I had no where else to go. My parents didn’t want to send me to a public school for the apparently poor discipline at those schools. So where the hell else can gay students go? No where. There are plenty of students who are like I was in this situation.
Who do these religious @ssholes think they are. How dare they treat students like this!
There are gay students in faith based schools right now, suffering, because teachers are still allowed to bully and humiliate students with no consequences. Still allowed to say that homosexuality is “bad”. Its mental abuse and should never be allowed to happen. There’s no excuse.
I agree with David in that our community should have services for gay and homosexual clients beyond public houses.
As far as the suggestion from Bishop Forsyth, that gay and homosexual students should leave private schools run by religious organisations, if the behaviour of those students “undermines the values of the school” – (your very existence undermines our values) –
Where could those students go Bishop Forsyth?
Are there schools out there that tolerate gay and homosexual students?
Do schools advertise that they are, “Gay Friendly”?
In the past Headmasters of schools would have considered children of a different religion or race or those with a physical or mental handicap as children who were likely to, “undermine the values of the school” because of their different religion, race or because they had a physical of mental handicap.
Children with physical and mental handicaps were sent to “special schools” for children with “special needs”.
Apparently gay and homosexual children have now been identified as freaks who should be kept separate from normal children and told to leave schools for normal children and go somewhere else.
Explain to me as to why we need religion?????
Religion causes nothing but trouble in the world and whips-up homophobia and hatred. Churches get tax exceptions and are too busy focused on destroying gay families and are attempting to divide us even more and continually shove there values down everyones throats on the whole anti-family and anti-marriage agenda. Religion is as useless as a door nob on an unused door. No wonder why I am an athiest!!!!!!!!
Gay students shouldn’t be in religious schools in the first place, for the sake of their own mental health. If they only come to a realisation of their sexuality once they’re enrolled- in spite of the negative influences- it’s clearly the best thing for them to get out.
There is no God, the whole thing’s an elaborate web of lies and self-interest, so religion is best avoided altogether by anyone who intends to have a reasonably pleasant life. Especially but not exclusively a gay life. Fear, malice and resentment VS freedom, self-awareness and rationality? No contest.
Our best & brightest schools are religious based, our leading hospitals & nursing homes are religious based, we can’t escape or run from it in our society no matter how hard we try, from child through to aged care.
Instead of running, we need to stand & fight from within to make these entities more secular, & accountable for the tax dollars they receive- that’s the first step.
Then the next step beyond that, is to support & grow our own secular & pro-equality entities, such as the gay-run MCC Church, and start looking at setting up an all-gay nursing homes/hospices, and all gay high schools like the Harvey Milk school.
If these religious nuts are hell bent on turfing out the “influence” of gay students, then lets start up a beacon of hope- an all gay private school where students can excell without the wrath of crushing school-endorsed homophobia in it’s purest form.
Experience shows though, that those religious school leaders that aim to turf out gay students from their schools, are then the first to cry out at the formation of an all gay school, with comments such as “why do they need thier own school?”. D..ckheads.
Rev Dorothy – always a wise and compassionate voice! What a gem!