PMSA ‘not run’ by church: Schools group distances itself from sex comments

The Presbyterian group that operates some of Queensland’s top schools has sought to distance itself from controversial views made by the church which promoted discrimination against gay students.

The PMSA operates some of Queensland’s most prestigious schools, including Brisbane Boys’ College in Toowong.

The Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association has sought to distance itself from controversial views made by the Presbyterian Church which promoted discrimination against gay students.

The church told a discrimination review that actively gay students or those having unmarried straight sex should not be school captains.

In a letter that circulated among the association’s four school communities - Brisbane Boys’ College, Clayfield College, Somerville House and Sunshine Coast Grammar School - the association distanced itself from the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

In Friday’s letter, the association claimed it was not operated by the Presbyterian Church of Australia nor by the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

PMSA chief executive Shane Coppin.

“The Presbyterian Church of Australia does not operate the PMSA or any of our four schools,” it read.

“The Presbyterian Church of Queensland is a separate body corporate and not an associated entity of the association. The PCQ does not control or determine decisions or operating policies of the association.”

The association did not respond to follow-up questions on Friday about whether it abided by the church’s views.

The church’s submission had been made to the Australian Law Reform Commission which had sought feedback on proposed changes to federal laws which would limit the ability of religious schools to discriminate based on their faith.

As part of its submission, The Presbyterian Church cited an example of a LGBTQ+ student who had been elected as school captain.

“If this student were in an active same-sex relationship, they would not be able to give appropriate Christian leadership in a Christian school which requires modelling Christian living,” the submission read.

The church argues those students would “not be able to give appropriate Christian leadership in a Christian school which requires modelling of Christian living”.

The PMSA also operates all-girls school Somerville House in South Brisbane. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Calleja)

It also wants to retain the right to discriminate against staff who are unmarried, gay or gender diverse if they do not “live out the whole Christian faith consistently”.

Questions had been sent to the association earlier this week asking whether it supported the views made by the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

The association’s chief executive Shane Coppin had responded saying it “promoted equality and inclusive educational and leadership opportunities for all of its students”.

Mr Coppin on Monday however, had made no attempts to distance the association from the church.

The association did not respond to follow-up questions on Friday asking whether it abided by the Presbyterian Church of Australia’s views around “living out the whole Christian faith consistently”.

Instead, the association claimed in its letter that it had a policy on inclusivity stating: “values diversity and inclusion and is committed to creating an inclusive system at a policy level and as part of everyday practice within its school communities”.