Humanists contend that the system of special religious instruction (SRI, more widely known as CRE) in Victorian government primary schools is discriminatory. Many parents agree.
Humanist policy has three points:
1. SRI should be ‘opt-in’, not ‘opt-out’. Classes are voluntary.
2. SRI lessons should be an after-school option, so students who are not involved could leave the premises. That was the case in Victoria from 1872 to 1950, and is the current practice in the Australian Capital Territory.
3. The community should demand that lessons in general religious education be included in the regular curriculum. That will require some teacher training.
Our recent survey of parents protesting at the ”hurt, humiliation, and pain and suffering” caused by coercive religion in Victorian government schools
suggests two things: they would welcome (i) ethics lessons to replace CRE (Christian Religious Education, the predominant brand of SRI) during school hours
and (ii) CRE/SRI being rescheduled to after regular school hours.
Is it far fetched to use the word ‘coercive’ when describing non-compulsory religious instruction?
Half of the parents who responded complained that their children had to sit at the back of the very same CRE/SRI classroom “being quiet”, even though
the parent had tried to opt them out of CRE/SRI. Furthermore some of the other parents didn’t like (i) the alternative accommodation provided for their
children during CRE/SRI, (ii) pressures from the school community, (iii) misinformation on factual matters and (iv) bribing of the CRE/SRI children
with lollies, shiny books etc., in the presence of their own opted-out children at the back of the same room. The last item really works, and some parents
have reported that their children are now attending religious instruction to get the goodies.
In addition the necessity of parents having to opt their children out of religious instruction in writing leaves a paper trail exposing the parents’ views on religion. So, taken together, these practices have a strong component of informal coercion in them.
If you, the reader, can contribute more information, please contact me, John Russell, on 03 9846 3989 or 04 0731 4558.
Read Victorian Humanist Society President Stephen Stuart’s article on why this campaign is important here.
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