NSW ethics blue (not State of Origin)

This article was published in The Sydney Morning Herald 7 June 2010

In NSW, traditionally religion has been taught in state schools through an optional opportunity to attend an hour of tuition in various religions taught by volunteers.

Sounds excruciating to me, but evidently it is quite popular, presumably with parents. The anecdotal evidence is that 75 per cent of kids do the Special Religious Education (''SRE''). I think this is a great thing as scripture and faith, the wellsprings of our culture, are a necessary part of even a secular rounded education.

Unlike Victoria, in NSW, if parents don't want their child in SRE classes they have to opt out and these kids are not allowed formal learning during this time. So what do these children do? They twiddle their thumbs in state-sponsored lethargy. This is clearly a bad thing. It could lead to stigma for the kids, is divisive, sends a bad message about learning and wastes precious educational time.

Now the NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations and the St James Ethics Centre are trialling an hour of ethics as an alternative to faith-based training for those kids whose parents don't want them in SRE classes. The ethics classes are apparently well attended. The trial started on April 20 and ends this month. Then it is up to the NSW Education Minister to make a decision. But with an election is looming, I sense a bad case of the wobbles.