Religious schools able to turn away gay students and teachers under proposed law changes
Image: Image: Scott Morrison / Facebook.
Religious schools would be able to discriminate against students and teachers on the basis of聽sexual orientation, gender identity, or relationship status under recommendations made by the Philip Ruddock-led religious freedom review.
The review, which was commissioned at the end of last year and handed to the government in May, is still reportedly being debated by cabinet and has not yet been released publicly.
However, the contents of the report have been seen by , who report that the review calls for the federal Sex Discrimination Act to be amended.
“There is a wide variety of religious schools in Australia and … to some school communities, cultivating an environment and ethos which conforms to their religious beliefs is of paramount importance,” the report noted.
“To the extent that this can be done in the context of appropriate safeguards for the rights and mental health of the child, the panel accepts their right to select, or preference, students who uphold the religious convictions of that school community.”
The panel also agreed that religious schools should be able to reject prospective teachers on the basis of their sexuality or relationship status, something some states already allow.
Last year, a聽聽which has since聽聽in Western Australia.
And revealed聽that just over a third of Australians supported the introduction of laws enshrining religious freedoms, but just as many were undecided on the issue.
Among supporters of the major parties, Coalition voters proved most supportive, with 48 per cent of Liberal and National party voters in favour.
34 per cent of Labor voters indicated support, while 37 per cent of Greens voters said they supported the move as well 鈥� with 43 per cent of voters who supported 鈥榦ther鈥� parties opposing potential laws in the highest numbers.
Independent MP Alex Greenwich said the recommendations in the religious freedom review allowing religious schools to discriminate against students and teachers were “cruel” and out of step with community sentiment.
“The recommendation to increase discrimination in schools against gay teachers and students is offensive to parents, teachers, and school communities,” he said.
“The government should be focusing on reducing, not increasing bullying in schools.
“Before legislating this anti-gay bullying in schools, I urge the Prime Minister to meet with LGBTI students and teachers who have shared with me stories of intense bullying at the hands religious schools and to understand first-hand the impact this has.”
just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said he would lobby Liberal moderates, Labor, and the Senate cross-bench to oppose any attempt to legislate the recommendation.
“Schools should be places of learning, not breeding grounds of prejudice,” he said.
“Any school that receives public money should abide by the same rules as the rest of society, including the same rules about fair-treatment and discrimination.”
In a statement, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would consider the details of the review and release its response after they had gone through the proper cabinet process.
He had previously .
“We will protect religious freedom, and get the balance right,” he said.
“Each proposal will be considered carefully and respectfully before any final decisions are taken.”
The review received more than 15,000 submissions and was undertaken by a panel chaired by Ruddock.
The authors rejected several recommendations demanded by conservatives, including amendments to the marriage equality legislation that was passed last year.
They didn’t accept that businesses should be allowed to refuse services on religious grounds, and found that civil celebrants should not be entitled to refuse to conduct same-sex wedding ceremonies if they became celebrants after Australia achieved marriage equality.
Totally 100% agree Dave!
The pious looking photo of the Guardian’s Ruddock’s religious review, and the finger pointing of our Pentecostal PM in this report, are reason enough to be drawn to the conclusion that the gay community is going to lose the fight for freedom from right wing bias, even though the SSM referendum was overwhelmingly in favour of our rights to live our lives without religious persecution.
Lyle Shelton is another gay basher who needs to put in his place. I have no problem with him and his kin believing in a mythical god. They can believe in any god they want to invent, which is what they all do, as long as he and other religious nutters don’t heap their nonsense on those of us who happen to believe in science.
I can’t see many gay conservatives voting Liberal at the next election if these laws are put through still allowing Churches to discriminate against gay students and teachers. At this time they need every vote they can get. For that reason alone it could mean the difference between remaining in office or getting kicked out.
It’s simply embarrassing for Australia’s religious communities that “religious freedom” seems to mean little more than picking on gay people.
Religion is important to many people. I was raised in a moderate Anglican household and attended a moderate Anglican church which seemed to me to be very non-judgemental and welcoming towards everybody. I wandered away and tick the atheist box these days but I don’t have bad memories of religion.
I don’t hate the idea of “religious freedom” but if it’s important to religious schools to have the right to insist that their teachers and students all live the religious lifestyle then it’s FUCKING INSANE that they pick on gay people but not divorcees, blasphemers, atheists, people of other religions, feminists and all the other sinners their religion has something to say about.
It’s an all or nothing situation. Either be entirely righteous or don’t be, but singling out gay people as the implication seems to be from this article is disgusting.