- Parents want funding redirected to skilled professionals
PARENTS continue to express concern over the School Chaplaincy Program with claims that some chaplains are still ignoring the Federal Government's guidelines on how the program should operate.
President of the Federation of Parents and Citizens Association of NSW, Helen Walton, said there was an increasing body of evidence suggesting that some chaplains were offering counselling, distributing religious material and - in many cases - pushing a narrow religious view of social behaviour.
She said the fact these activities were being undertaken under the guise of chaplaincy services in public schools was an insult to parents.
The chaplaincy program at Ulladulla High School is delivered by the United Christian Education Foundation.
The school has previously been forced to deny claims that the program had been used to push religion to students.
The chaplain lists his roles and responsibilities on the Ulladulla High School moodle page as including "(to) pray for and/or with students and staff in need".
Mr Walton said schools required genuine, qualified and skilled counsellors capable of meeting the needs of young people at a time of need as opposed to religious guidance.
The Federation has called on the Federal Government to end the program and redirect the funding to the employment of skilled professionals in public schools.
The Australian Council of State School Organisations has also expressed alarm over the proposed expansion of the chaplaincy program.
ACSSO president Peter Garrigan said the ABC's 7.30 Report had cited a number of serious breaches in the chaplaincy program guidelines.
Those breaches had included chaplains using their positions to proselytize (or to ‘convert’ students) in public schools.
"This program is plagued by individuals who consciously and knowingly exceed their role and who then rely on a lack of information to parents in order to conceal their activities," Mr Garrigan said.
"These cases cannot be explained away as isolated mistakes."
Mr Garrigan also called for the funding to be directed elsewhere.
"When we see families willing to mount a High Court challenge to ensure the program remains within its boundaries, it only confirms our fears that there are severe flaws in this program," he said.
"This service is failing. Our young people are living in a time where there is an ever increasing number who need professional support for crisis or other mental health issues.
"The funding of qualified skilled professionals is a far more effective and reliable way of addressing this need and supporting our young people," he said.
A High Court challenge contending the chaplaincy program contravenes the separation of church and state will be heard next month.
The head of Sydney's Anglican Education Commission was quoted in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald as saying misuse of the chaplaincy program was putting religious education in NSW schools at risk.
He said chaplains could blur the distinction between faith and welfare.
The chaplaincy program was announced by the Howard Government in 2006 with funding extended by $222 million in this year's Federal Budget.
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