Sydney's Christian education expert Grant Maple (pictured right) says a plan to offer ethics lessons in public schools for students who do not attend scripture classes will undermine the role of Special Religious Education.
Dr Maple, Executive Director of the Anglican Education Commission has urged parents to fight a proposal from the NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations and the St James Ethics Centre to develop a syllabus that would provide lessons during scripture class for students forbidden from attending SRE by their parents.
"SRE has been an integral part of schools in NSW since 1880. We have had to protect it carefully from competition," Dr Maple says.
"This proposal is not in the interests of the Anglican Church."
Director of the St James Ethics Centre Dr Simon Longstaff said children who don't attend scripture are missing out on vital ethical teaching.
"[They are] left in the library to colour in or sit outside the principal's office. For one hour every week their lives are parked because of a perfectly conscientious decision by their parents," he says.
"SRE discusses theological matters but another dimension is the discussion of…how one ought to respond to the challenges life presents."
The Minister for Education, Carmel Tebbutt, told the Sydney Morning Herald that values were already taught in public schools.
A Morgan Poll in March showed 62 per cent of people said religion should be taught in public schools.
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