Christian Schools Pull Out Of Albanese Government’s Consultation To Protect LGBT Students, Staff
Image: Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Senator Penny Wong at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on March 5, 2022.
Christian Schools in Australia have pulled out of a consultation process launched by the Anthony Albanese-led Labor government to reform anti-discrimination laws to ban religious schools from expelling students or sacking teachers for being LGBTQI.聽
Family First Party led by NSW MLC Lyle Shelton reported that Christian Schools Australian and the Australian Association of Christian Schools had “lost faith” in the Australian Law Reform Commission, which was tasked with making recommendations. The two groups represent schools that educate around 150,000 children.聽
Last month, the and sought responses from the general public about the proposed changes to the anti-discrimination rules that will make it illegal for religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQI students and staff. The public consultation closes on February 24, 2023.聽
Exemptions For Religious Schools
Federal anti-discrimination laws currently grant religious schools and organisations exemptions that allow them to discriminate against LGBTQI students, and teachers.
ALRC recommended that the law be reformed to make it unlawful for religious educational institutions to discriminate against students 鈥渙n the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or relationship status, or pregnancy鈥�.聽
The proposed law aims to聽 鈥減rotect teachers and other school staff from discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or relationship status, or pregnancy鈥�.聽
It will however allow religious schools 鈥渢o maintain their religious character by permitting them to give preference to prospective staff on religious grounds where the teaching, observance, or practice of religion is a part of their role鈥� and 鈥渞equire all staff to respect the educational institution鈥檚 religious ethos.鈥�
Christian Schools Say Valid Protections Will Be Removed
The AACS said on its website that they were disappointed with the ALRC proposals. The organisation claimed that if the proposals were adopted it “would result in far-reaching changes to federal anti-discrimination laws which would remove many of the vital protections Christian schools rely upon to employ only Christian staff who are committed to the beliefs of the school; teach a Christian worldview by Christian staff across all subjects; and maintain a Christian worldview and culture in the school.”
The AACS website provided a link to a “legal analysis” by Associate Professor Neil Foster.聽
“They remove valid protections for religious educational institutions (which means for the religious individuals who have set up these bodies to nurture and support young people growing in their faith, including the parents who pay serious money to send their children along.),” said Foster on his blog.
Last year, then Prime Minister Scott Morrison tried to get the Parliament to pass the聽Religious Discrimination Bill that would allow religious schools and organisations to discriminate against LGBTQI people.
Conservative Christian organisations pulled their support for the law after amendments were passed by Labor, Green and five Liberal MPs, that sought repeal of provisions in the Sex Discrimination Act that presently allows faith-based schools to expel gay and trans students.
So be it. They cannot complain then if the law passes without their input. And yes the Government should stop giving these 鈥榠nstitutions鈥� taxpayers鈥� money. If they need more money to 鈥榞room鈥� future bigots then perhaps they should start by selling some their properties from their vast property portfolios (funded by taxpayers money of course). Start acting like Christians 馃槺
A simple response from the taxpayers: Defund ALL public funding for those schools responsible, these “religious educational institutions”, refusing to live in this century.