Parents want class teaching secular views of morality
MOST parents want a non-religious alternative to school scripture classes, a survey has found.
Of 280 parents surveyed for the Federation of Parents and Citizens’ Associations of NSW, 59 per cent thought it was “important” or “very important” that their child be given the option of attending a secular ethics-based class.
Parents said activities offered to children who did not attend scripture classes included watching videos, reading and supervised activities such as colouring in.
Seventy-nine per cent of parents said they would support their children being exposed to faiths other than their own.
Almost a quarter of parents said they would like to see the teaching of faiths other than Christianity introduced.
The publicity officer for the Federation of P&C Associations, Sharon-Roni Canty, said students not attending religious education were missing out on teaching that offered a moral grounding.
“Our survey shows that schools are not offering constructive activities that would engage the students who aren’t attending religious education,” she said.
The federation has been lobbying the State Government for an alternative to the teaching of morals in Christian-based scripture classes.
It will present the results of its survey to the Education Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, to build its case.