Ethics classes not "an attack on religion"

[Lee]

The Atheist Foundation of Australia (AFA) has rejected claims by Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, that secular ethics classes in schools are an attack on religion. The Archbishop urged NSW Premier Kristina Keneally to scrap the program following the conclusion of a preliminary trial.

AFA President David Nicholls said Mr Jensen was missing the point.

"Secular ethics are about including everybody and asking how we can make the world a better place. They are not an attack on religion – far from it," Nicholls said.

"Secular values – such as honesty, integrity, respect for humanity and the environment – can be appreciated regardless of one's religion or lack thereof. That's the beauty of them."

"You don't need 'God' to be good, and no religion has a monopoly on morals."

Nicholls said Peter Jensen's own religio-moral views provided a "questionable" basis for public ethics education.

"Archbishop Jensen, throughout his career, has demonstrated peculiar attitudes towards woman and gays. It would be a shame if schools only taught values which reflect his own narrow religious views," Nicholls said.

Nicholls said that Australia, as a secular multicultural democracy, must respect the separation of church and state.

Media Contact:

David Nicholls
President
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc

Phone (08) 8835 2269
Email info@atheistfoundation.org.au
Website http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
Forum http://atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/index.php
Convention http://www.atheistconvention.org.au

[Praxis]

YAY!!!

[Goldenmane]

I still think you mob should ask me to craft these little missives.

[pedrico]

Does religious education in schools cater for the varied beliefs of the different religions in society? I doubt it. I allege that it only caters for the views of the dominant religions, namely the Roman Catholic and/or Anglican views of christianity. At my school there is one scripture teacher for almost 1300 students and he's as catholic as the Pope. At least an alternative ethics class provides students and parents with some choice.

[Brian]

I think this is well put. I do wonder, though, if we might be better keeping our heads down on this one. I think that this could be somewhat of a touchstone issue for secularism. We wouldn't want it to become narrowed to a religion-versus-atheism debate. I'm sure Jensen wants to characterise it in those terms.

Does anyone else know of any examples elsewhere where students are offered secular ethics classes as an alternative to Special Religious education?

[pedrico]

Originally Posted by Brian

Does anyone else know of any examples elsewhere where students are offered secular ethics classes as an alternative to Special Religious education?

The school I teach at is a NSW public school which has, as I said, almost 1300 students. We don't, at this date, have an ethics class. Just one catholic administering scripture classes to about 80% of those students(senior students excluded). If a school of this size doesn't have an ethics class, I can't imagine which ones would?

[Brian]

Originally Posted by pedrico

The school I teach at is a NSW public school which has, as I said, almost 1300 students. We don't, at this date, have an ethics class. Just one catholic administering scripture classes to about 80% of those students(senior students excluded). If a school of this size doesn't have an ethics class, I can't imagine which ones would?

Thanks Pedrico. Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I was wondering about other states or countries where they have something similar to Special Religious Education and offer a secular alternative.

[TimB]

Well said David.

[iamjustme]

Originally Posted by pedrico

The school I teach at is a NSW public school which has, as I said, almost 1300 students. We don't, at this date, have an ethics class. Just one catholic administering scripture classes to about 80% of those students(senior students excluded). If a school of this size doesn't have an ethics class, I can't imagine which ones would?

Is that sort of "one size fits all" approach to RE common these days?

At the three schools I went to as I kid (80s and early 90s) I distinctly remember there being separate scripture classes for at least Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox and Jewish students. I think there was a Uniting group at one school too, and no one batted an eyelid about kids doing "non scripture".

These were all smaller than 1300 students too - my high school had something like 720 students and the two primary schools would have been smaller still.

[Annie]

Originally Posted by Brian

...........Does anyone else know of any examples elsewhere where students are offered secular ethics classes as an alternative to Special Religious education?

Hi Brian, Im a teacher in a WA govt primary school. There are no scripture classes here anymore. There are no ethics classes either. However, given the National Curriculum, and the Curriculum Framework that we currently work under, teachers are free to teach 'values' (tolerance, acceptance, perseverance etc) and evolution which comes under the banner of science. I hope this doesnt change here any time soon as I might be looking for another job.

Add: there arent many teachers that actually teach evolution. I know of only 2 others. I checked our school library for books on evolution and there were 4 in a selection of thousands of books. More have since been ordered.