Public left out of chaplaincy consultation
Concerns have been raised over the consultation process about the National School Chaplaincy Scheme which funds the placement of religious mentors in state and private schools.
Kevin Rudd announced a public consultation about the scheme to the Australian Christian Lobby last November, while pledging to continue the program with an additional $42 million.
However the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has made little effort to publicise the consultation, with stakeholders selected by the Government itself.
Stage one of the consultation involving stakeholders was to result in a discussion paper, with stage two taking public submissions in response to that paper.
The paper has already been finished, yet the Australian Secular Lobby’s Hugh Wilson said his organisation was told it was still stage one it lobbied DEEWR for stakeholder status.
“ASL wrote to them in February and we had to go through a senator in Queensland just to get any response from them,” Wilson said.
“Now we have a letter saying that we will be meeting with them in May. But the discussion paper that they’ve put out should have been the result of the consultation process.”
Wilson said he was disappointed there had been no formal avenue for groups to nominate themselves as stakeholders, and encouraged anyone with an opinion to get involved.
“I’d imagine all the pro-chaplain Christian groups have — the Salt Shakers, the ACL, Pell, Jensen, they’ll all be in there,” he said.
“What I suspect is there won’t be many calls for schools having the option to put the money towards counsellors instead, because of the limited scope of the consultation.”
Australian Coalition for Equality’s Rod Swift said his organisation would have liked the chance to have been included in stage one, as it had concerns about the abilities of chaplains to counsel young people dealing with issues of sexuality. ACE is considering making a submission to stage two of the consultation.
The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby also has concerns about the program but believes these are best raised by other organisations.
NSW Greens education spokesman Dr John Kaye MLC saidt the Rudd government was trying to appease right wing Christian groups by locking the community out of the consultation.
“Shutting out the community from commenting on the continuation of the chaplaincy program might help the Rudd Government secure the support of the conservative Christian lobby in marginal seats but it is bad news for public schools that support diversity,” Kaye said.
“The minister should restart the consultation, this time with schools, communities and the community told where and how to participate and given adequate time to make their views known.”
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Jeremy said “You may need to work for a pittance, but that shouldn’t worry you.”
Considering that chaplains only need work 9-3, have all school holidays off, have no need to come up with class work, have no need to mark homework or essays or prepare student assessments for parent-teacher nights, and don’t have to spend at least 4 years at University to get qualified like a proper teacher or school counsellor, I wouldn’t expect them to be paid more than a pittance.
I can’t imagine chaplains are doing much when kids are in class either.
If the Government is looking to have more people on hand in the school system but doesn’t want to pay the $55K starting salary it pays teachers, they could probably get as many education students in as part time teachers aides for the same money.
chilli: – good research there, thank you.
Liz: – separation of church and state is an American notion. There is no similar constitutional obligation here.
So much for a seperation of church and state, one of the foundations of democracy.
There is a possibility that people might induce from this article that the scheme is not fully operational.
They scheme has been operating since 2007 and 2700 schools are participating.
$165 million has been allocated. The scheme is supposed to run out in 2011.
Please note the figure of $48 million was an additional amount.
There is provision in the scheme to appoint people who are not clerics.
Teaching staff can fill the role and so can other people if they meet certain criteria.
It appears to be a racket that allows school principals to appoint mates to part time jobs.
The government filled the trough with $165 million and if you look at the PDF documents on the site you will see that there are a lot of heads in the trough.
This scheme is not about ideology – it is about milking the taxpayer to buy the votes of teachers.
Even well educated people willingly accept bribes even when it is obvious that the scheme has a factitious purpose.
The number of schools pariticipating in the scheme is an indictment of the ethics of teachers througout Australia.
Jeremy – Our Government has no place paying for Chaplains in schools, especially with no oversight from the community.
It will drastically increase Youth Suicide. I could think of better ways to spend 42 million dollars.
Go listen to the Hitler Pope’s latest rants on how Evil we are at http://www.cathnews.com.au, or the lies from the Australian Christian Lobby that seeks to constantly vilify us. Perhaps you could turn your head to the Australia Family Association that has published on their website that we are a cancer in the past.
You want these monsters running around in schools with young vunerable children? The extreme Christian Right has demanded this of Kevin Rudd, and he is delivering as usual.
Sure not every Chaplain is a member of the ACL and some are not doubt good people. But children should not be subjected to extremist views of some of the Far Right of the Christian movement. It is child abuse to do this.
$42 million down the drain too. What a joke.
Dave,
Since you are so concerned about this weird Evil why don’t you become a chaplain and fix it yourself. There are plenty of schools out there looking for someone with your high moral character and concern for vulnerable children. You may need to work for pittance, but that shouldn’t worry you.
Jeremy
So this is the Education Revolution Kevin Rudd was really talking about. An increase in Youth Suicide by allowing the ALC to spread their Evil message of Hate to vunerable children. No oversight, no public, just more Evil from the ALC.
He might get all Happy Clappy about young people killing themselves, but I do not. Kevin Rudd has the blood of our brothers and sisters on his hands.