Ten myths about the ethics complement to scripture

By Teresa Russell

This article was published in Living Ethics: issue 80 winter 2010

There has been much discussion in the media about the ethics complement to scripture pilot program. Teresa Russell tackles some of the myths.

Myth 1: We are trying to get rid of scripture in schools.
Fact: Neither the P&C nor St James Ethics Centre has the desire or intention to eliminate special religious education (SRE) from schools. SRE is guaranteed to remain, as it is enshrined in the NSW Education Act. What we are seeking to do is to have the Minister change the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) policy that prevents children who opt out of SRE from doing anything meaningful during that time.

Myth 2: The Centre has acted unethically while conducting the trial because it is trying to draw students away from SRE.
Fact: The P&C and the Centre have worked closely with the DET in the course of this trial. We acted on DET advice to inform all parents of Years 5 and 6 children at the pilot schools about the options available for opt out children in Term 2. DET stands by its decision to inform all parents, rather than just those whose children opted out in Term 1. Schools notify all parents when any new SRE options are offered as well.

Myth 3: This is an argument between the religions and the secular world.
Fact: Although Archbishop Peter Jensen has tried to position his argument as religions versus the rest, this is not the case. Both parents of no faith and those with strong religious faith support this trial. Several of the faith groups either endorse or are ambivalent about the provision of ethics classes for children who opt out of SRE.

Myth 4: SRE kids will now be disadvantaged if ethics classes are offered during SRE time.
Fact: As a mark of good faith, the Centre and the P&C have said that if an ongoing program is approved, then all of the material that is developed for that program will be given to faith groups for use ‘as is’ or adaptation to suit their purposes. Some argue that the ethics course should be included in the curriculum. However, this will not solve the problem of the injustice perpetrated against children who opt out of SRE and who are not allowed to undertake meaningful activity at this time.

Myth 5: The NSW Government is funding the ethics program and it doesn’t fund SRE.
Fact: The pilot is being funded by private individual donations to the Centre. Two of the main donors are, in fact, committed Christians who believe in this project. Training of the thirty-three volunteer ethics teachers (who are also not being paid) was held in the P&C’s training room in Granville, Sydney.

Myth 6: Parents don’t know whose ethics are being taught, so they should be careful about sending kids to these classes.
Fact: Ethics is best understood as a process of enquiry into the question: “What ought one to do?” It then leads to questions of what is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Ethics classes are intended to encourage and support the exploration of the ethical dimension of life – and to allow room for a range of perspectives to be encountered. Teachers don’t provide a point of view. They just facilitate discussion between the children.

Myth 7: You don’t know who these ethics teachers are.
Fact: Yes you do! Most of the thirty-three people trained as ethics teachers are parents at each school. A few are teachers. There are some community members who volunteered as well. All have undergone full police checks. These are not required by many of the SRE providers, although some do it nonetheless.

Myth 8: The NSW Minister for Education and the NSW Premier aren’t really in favour of this pilot. Ex-Premier, Nathan Rees, forced it on them.
Fact: At a press conference held at Haberfield Public School on the first day of the pilot, the Minister expressed strong support for this ethics trial. She is excited that there is now a choice for parents of children who opt out of SRE in these schools. She was even more enthusiastic after participating in the first class!

Myth 9: This is an atheist plot against religions.
Fact: Although this pilot has received support from the Atheist Foundation of Australia, it has also received support from the Dalai Lama, the Uniting Church, the Islamic Council, the Hindu Council and Father Brian Lucas, General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The P&C has taken this issue to the Government in response to years of complaints by a growing number of parents who opt their children out of SRE for varying reasons.

Myth 10: Kids will be forced to do ethics classes if they opt out of SRE.
Fact: No they won’t. It will be an option available to all children who opt out of SRE, but the current supervised period without structured activity will be available to those who don’t wish to participate.