Lyn Allison, Mary Bluett , John Bornas, Anna Halafoff, Georgia Morrissey and Andrea Tsalamandris
Reforming Ethics and Religious Education
in State Primary Schools
Sunday 24 June 2012*
2 – 5 pm, free entry
Village Roadshow Theatrette
State Library, La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Entry 3
* Please Note: Initially announced for 22 April, but postponed to allow for the judge’s decision in the VCAT case to become available.
Over past years there have been increasing concerns expressed by parents, educators, community organizations and the general public, about the way in which Christian religious instruction is currently presented and administered in the majority of Victorian government primary schools. These weekly sessions are officially known as SRI (special religious instruction), but are often referred to as CRE, RE or RI. They are taken by Christian volunteers.
Parents have taken the Education Department to court, claiming their children who do not attend these sessions suffer discrimination. Their cause was publicized by the parents’ group, Fairness in Religions in School (FIRIS), which claims that SRI divides children and recommends that the current ‘Sunday School’ lessons be replaced by ‘culturally diverse and unbiased’ classes. The case of ‘Aitken and others vs DEECD’ was heard during 1–9 March 2012, by the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
CHAIRPERSON:
Lyn Allison
Former Senator; Australian Humanist of the Year 2008.
PANEL MEMBERS:
1) Andrea Tsalamandris. Partner in the legal firm Holding Redlich, acting for the parents at VCAT.
2) Georgia Morrissey (parent & solicitor) & John Bornas (parent & school council member). Both are key members of the parent organisation, Fairness in Religions in School (FIRIS).
3) Mary Bluett. President, Australian Education Union, Vic. Branch.
4) Dr Anna Halafoff. Researcher, UNESCO Chair in Interreligious & Intercultural Relations – Asia Pacific; co-founder & co-coordinator, Religions and Ethics Education Network Australia (REENA).
Organized by the Humanist Society of Victoria in response to the recent VCAT case, the above eminent panel will provide information and canvass future options with ample audience discussion, and possibly with resolutions. For further information and inquiries contact
John Russell, on telephone 0407 314 558 or E-mail jr38@optusnet.com.au
… or consult the following websites:
http://religionsinschool.com / www.reena.net.au and also this website.









Speaking on the Congress theme Humanism and peace on the opening day, 12 August 2011, of the eighteenth World Humanist Congress in Oslo, Crown Prince Haakon said, “Every









