Christian schools fight for the right of a religious education

Christian schools want the right to ‘enforce standards of conduct and behaviour’ in line with religious beliefs.

Sherwood Hills Christian School primary school was the most-improved NAPLAN school in south and southwest Sydney from 2017-2021

Christian schools will pressure politicians to declare their stance on religious education, in a fightback against discrimination reform.

In a letter to be sent to every federal MP on Wednesday, Christian Schools Australia (CSA) will reveal that a survey of 8500 parents from 101 schools shows that most rate Christian values and beliefs above academic performance or school facilities.

“Will you support the right of parents to choose a school which can choose all staff based on their belief in, and adherence to, the doctrines, tenets and beliefs of the religion concerned … (and to) teach in accordance with those doctrines?’’ the letter states.

The CSA asks MPs to declare whether religious schools should be able to “enforce standards of conduct and behaviour within the school community consistent with the doctrines, tenets and beliefs of the religion’’.

“We would like to be able to share your views with the parent communities in our schools across Australia,’’ the letter states.

“Parents in our member schools … will consider this information carefully, as it impacts their ability to choose the schools they want for their sons and daughters’’.

The letter will fuel debate over the legal right of religious schools – which educate roughly one in three Australian children – to discriminate against students and staff in line with religious teachings.

The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) is examining a legislative loophole that lets religious schools discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status or pregnancy.

In a discussion paper, the ALRC has proposed making such discrimination unlawful, while also requiring staff to “respect the educational institution’s religious ethos’’.

The CSA survey shows that more than half of parents chose a Christian school based on “values that align with my own’’.

Three quarters of parents said the teaching of traditional Christian values and beliefs was extremely or very important.

Only 3 per cent of parents said that financial success was the most important outcome of their child’s schooling.

Nearly half of parents wanted the school to impart “strong character and Christian values’’, while 24 per cent wanted “increased opportunities in life” and 23 per cent hoped for “strong friendships’’.

The survey found that 15 per cent of Christian school families earned less than $60,000 a year, while a quarter earned between $60,000 and $100,000 per household.