Firth's lesson in ethics

Commenting on the story in today's Sydney Morning Herald ('Parents line up to give students ethics lessons,' page 5, 30 September 2009), Dr Kaye said: "Students who choose to not attend one of the special religious instruction classes are currently denied any useful educational activities for that period.
 
"Based on a deal struck in 1880 when the public system was set up and perpetuated by every NSW education minister since, students who opt out are abandoned to supervised self study, or, in some cases, to watch videos.
 
"With growing numbers of parents taking their children out of formal religion classes, it is time to break the monopoly power of the self-selecting club of churches that control the one period a week.
 
"The St James Ethics Centre's proposal for a ten week pilot program to offer secular ethics as an alternative would create a useful educational experience for students who opt out of the churches' offerings.
 
"Minister Firth will disappoint a large number of parents if she fails to approve the trial.
 
"Nothing in this proposal threatens the ability of the churches to provide religious instruction to the children of believers, nor does it undermine the teaching of comparative religion and ethics to all students as part of the curriculum.
 
"NSW Education Minister Verity Firth has a unique opportunity to end the damage done by a deal cut in 1880 between then Premier Henry Parkes and the churches who bitterly opposed the establishment of a comprehensive public education system.
 
"Ms Firth should rise to the challenge and give all students the opportunity to usefully spend the one period a week, regardless of the beliefs of their parents," Dr Kaye said.
 
The SMH story is available at: http://tinyurl.com/smh-ethics
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455