Coalition Folds In On Ethics Classes.

[Bolero]

What annoys the piss out of me is that the churches are even invited to have a say in the issue at all. It shouldn't have anything to do with them whatsoever - we're talking about public schools!

[RealityRules]

Originally Posted by Logic please

I'd expect any major protests are likely to come from the St James Ethics Centre, as the instigator of the program, and relevant school stakeholders (eg: supportive parents/school communities).

it will probably come from a coalition of groups including parents4ethics (which has gone quiet) and probably involve the vocal David Hill and a few other high profile people. It would likely be quite a strong group. It could crystallise a wider secular group, and thus be beneficial in the medium term. One thing that may also help is a sharp rise in No Religion in the upcoming census

from the SMH ARTICLE:

Hmm... my cynical concern, is what "that makes everyone happy" might constitute, if SRE providers and the religious lobby are included under "everyone".

Yes there is two aspects to this -

• agitation by churches and the likes of Fred Nile to ditch them, or
• agitation to get them under their wings

Anything could happen
.

[RealityRules]

Originally Posted by Bolero

What annoys the piss out of me is that the churches are even invited to have a say in the issue at all. It shouldn't have anything to do with them whatsoever - we're talking about public schools!

Yep control-freak nutters who aren't happy unless they are stage-managing others
.

[Logic please]

@RR: thanks for referencing parents4ethics, I'd temporarily forgotten about them

[RealityRules]

LP, cheers, you're welcome

[TimB]

Just noticed this in the SMH from last week. Hopefully the Barry is resistant to the puppet strings of the Liberal partys religious right and keeps the ethics classes safe.

Extract from the article linked below;

The pledge of allegiance was straightforward: 15 words pledging loyalty ''under God'', and even shorter if, like the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, you preferred a more secular oath.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ritual-abo...503-1e6tk.html

[Coryate]

How come noone has mentioned that Buranda State School in QLD has been doing philosophy classes?

It's been going for the last 10 years:-

http://education.qld.gov.au/publicat...hilosophy.html

Then again, probably everyone knows but me

[TimB]

Originally Posted by Coryate

How come noone has mentioned that Buranda State School in QLD has been doing philosophy classes?

Seems like a really good course. I first heard of this a few years ago when it was mentioned in a book I was reading (The War for Children's Minds by Stephen Law).

[Sieveboy]

We all know Fred Nile is tool.

But he has just turned the stupid up a notch.

Link

Nile threatens to kill off ethics classes

Sean Nicholls

July 19, 2011

In contention ... ethics classes. Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

THE battle over ethics classes in NSW schools has been reignited by a threat from the Reverend Fred Nile to ''torpedo'' the O'Farrell government's contentious public sector wages policy unless it considers removing them.
Ethics classes were introduced into schools as an alternative to Scripture classes after the Greens supported legislation brought by the former Labor government last year.
The Coalition voted against it in opposition but Adrian Piccoli, who was then the education spokesman, later upset church groups by declaring it would not repeal the laws in government.
But since the election Mr Nile and his fellow Christian Democratic Party MP, Paul Green, share the balance of power in the upper house and the government relies on their support to pass legislation opposed by Labor and the Greens.
Mr Nile said the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, would have to ''listen to Fred Nile'' or face having legislation blocked. This would include its key initiative to overhaul how the wages and conditions of public servants are set.
''I've been very supportive of the government's agenda because I believe they have been elected with an overwhelming majority,'' he told ABC TV. But if co-operation meant nothing, the party would have to assess its co-operation with the government's legislative program.
Mr Nile said the government would be in ''serious trouble'' if his party withdrew support, particularly as Labor had tabled a motion to disallow the regulation containing the wages policy that sought to cap the wages of public servants at 2.5 per cent.
''The Greens and Labor Party are mounting a big campaign to disallow that regulation, which would torpedo all of the Premier's industrial legislation,'' he said.
''I think the Minister for Education [Mr Piccoli] has forgotten that big trigger is still there''.
Asked if he would consider voting with Labor and the Greens on the disallowance motion, Mr Nile said: ''I would certainly look at that''. Mr O'Farrell has repeatedly said he will not compromise his agenda by cutting deals with the crossbench.

[OzAtheist]

Originally Posted by Sieveboy

We all know Fred Nile is tool.

But he has just turned the stupid up a notch.

Link

I'm not prone to violence but my TV very nearly got destroyed last night when I saw that pathetic excuse for a human being - Fred Nile - on the ABC news. I almost wanted to punch him in the face and tell him to stop being such an a-hole.

He, basically, has threatened to bribe the government (by assisting or not a bill that affects thousands of public servants) if they don't stop the ethics classes.

Fred Nile could obviously do with attending a few ethics classes himself.

Christians - lying for jesus is fine, now bribery for jesus is fine. Is there nothing they aren't prepared to do for their ridiculous faith?

Getting down off my soap box, taking a bex and having a good lie down...