Media Attention » Humanist Society of Victoria

Lobbying the politicians

Media Attention, News Items No Responses »

Nov 222011

In June 2011 the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development advised school parents to lobby their politicians on any concerns over special religious instruction.

Two of us HSV members began to visit our MPs forthwith, one of us being a primary school parent and the other a primary school grandparent.

In addition to eight such visits by November we wrote to all Victorian MPs not yet contacted using the draft letter on this website. Sixteen more MPs have responded including ALP, Green and Liberal members. We have now have productive dialogue with 19% of the total of 128 Victorian MPs, but one, who shall be nameless for the present, has refused to meet with one of his constituents! We’ll give him another chance.

Contacting MPs next year will be guided by the VCAT hearing on 1 March. Perhaps we should also be talking to our Federal MPs on the matter of formerly “secular counselors” in State schools now being reclassified as social workers and accredited by the religion providers. It’s no big deal to visit a pollie. The visits are most enjoyable even with those who say that they are unable to support one, like “How can I possibly help you? I’m a Government Minister in the Bible belt.”

Let’s just do it!! – HG

School council debates special religious instruction

General, Media Attention, Religion in schools No Responses »

Oct 152011

Recently a school council member sought the Humanist Society’s advice on special religious instruction (SRI) and later reported on the next meeting of the council. More …

(Picture from Images for school building, Wikipedia)

Mums can now teach their kids ethics in schools!

Ethical Education, Media Attention No Responses »

Sep 132011

It’s now permitted and The Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools (VAPS) has met the opportunity by offering specific training in ethics for interested teachers and members of the public. Practise some our lessons (click)! - HG More …

How Religious Instruction in State Schools is Promoting Prejudice in our Children - Sophie Aitken and her boys

Articles and Opinions, Media Attention, Secular Viewpoints No Responses »

Sep 082011

As we move towards a more multi-cultural society we must ensure that our primary schools provide an environment which promotes cohesion rather than prejudice, and so pave the way towards a more harmonious society in the future. Click here for full article …

Mediation in anti-discrimination case

Articles and Opinions, Media Attention, News Items No Responses »

Aug 132011

On Monday 8 August the the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) attempted to mediate between three particularly aggrieved families and the Department, but the case did not settle. However just prior to mediation the legalistic Departmental Guidelines, which had been described by the Minister as the “law”, were withdrawn and replaced by Additional advice to school principals. There is a change of policy in the 6th Advice requiring that opted-out children now be given meaningful work instead of merely time filling/wasting activities, including lessons from the Humanist Society’s ethics manual (click here) if a school wants them. Together these changes represent a huge shift in the Department’s attitude, and certainly would not have occurred but for the Humanist Society’s challenge. – HG

The date of the full VCAT hearing was put back to 12 December. Click here to read more in the Victorian Humanist for June 2011 and click here for the history of the action.

"Worldview" includes religion

Articles and Opinions, Ethical Education, Humanism, Media Attention, Secularism and Religion No Responses »

Jul 242011

“General worldview education” (GWE, click here) is a much more general phrase than “general religious education” (GRE, click here) and should replace it in the Education Act. – HG

The Tobin tax

Articles and Opinions, Ethical Education, Humanism, Media Attention, Secular No Responses »

Jul 112011

The Council of Australian Humanist Societies calls on the federal government to institute a Tobin tax on each foreign currency transaction made by Australian banks. The amount taxed need be no more than 0.05% of the amount transacted; the revenue to be deposited into a special trust fund for foreign aid projects. It is said that the Australian Treasurer is not keen on the idea. – Dr Alan McPhate. More here

On the left, James Tobin, 1918 – 2002; see Wikipedia (click here)

Response to Sunday Age article

General, Media Attention, Newsflash, Religion in schools No Responses »

Mar 312011

Important Update – the aftermath

Following the publishing of The Sunday Age article titled ‘Backlash as God forced into schools’, the Humanist Society website crashed after receiving so many enquiries from parents who were unhappy with the current state of religious instruction in our public primary schools. And this was not even the URL provided in the article!

Added to this the new parents advocacy group FIRIS (Fairness In Religions In School) has been bombarded with offers of help and further examples of troubling complaints of discrimination. Virtually all of these emails were in support of the FIRIS stance.

There is more to come, ensure you subscribe to the FIRIS newsletter which can be found on their website and please sign up to our own newsletter for all our upcoming campaigns, events and media releases.

Dear reader, you surely are a humanist if you agree:

. Human beings are responsible for creating a better world. There is no evidence for a supernatural being or force to help us.

. Lifelong learning is better than dogma.

. Ethics should be based on human rights, compassion, respect, tolerance, equity, democracy and evidence, rather than faith, dogma or scriptures.

. A fulfilling, ethical and happy life is possible without religion. Schools should teach how to think, not what to think.

. Teaching of comparative religions, philosophy and cultures in schools is very beneficial, but should be taught by qualified teachers rather than by representatives of any particular religion.

. Public funds should not be used to pay for religious instruction and chaplains in schools. Professional counsellors should be available to students.

. There should be no tax breaks on the basis of religion.

. We are part of nature and need to respect and care for the natural world. Conserving the habitat of all species is central to a sustainable future.

. Respectful dialogue and co-operation with people of diverse convictions is enriching and stimulating and always better than violence.