National Chaplaincy in Schools Program

Yesterday the despicable favouritism exhibited by our State and Federal Governments was made plain for all to see. The World Parliament of Churches almost automatically received $4.5 million dollars of funding, but the The Rise of Atheism Convention who applied over 6 months ago for a much more modest amount, has received … let’s see … as yes, not a god damned cent! But that is not the primary focus of my post today, for I was also made aware of another Government backed program of such more significance.

Last week, the Australian Labor Party announced it will extend the previous Prime Minister’s school chaplaincy program by adding $42.8 million to the $165 million already committed by we the poor tax payer.

What’s the big deal you ask? Well, for starters our founders did not require an amendment to place a wedge between Church and State. Chapter 5, Section 116 of the Australian Constitution states:

The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth

While the program does not explicitly establish Christianity as the official religion of Australia or make moves to suppress other religions, it certainly does violate the intention of Section 116 and undermines the separation of church and state.

Interested in the condition placed of this bounty of cash for religious purposes, I checked the Government web site related to the program. Feel free to read it at you leisure, but I would like to highlight a few parts of the Frequently Asked Questions section and respond accordingly:

Why is the Government providing funding for school chaplains?

As one of society’s key institutions, schools are in a strong position to support the wellbeing, values and spirituality of young people. Chaplains already play a significant role in supporting many schools throughout Australia, including government schools, and there have been calls for their services to be more broadly available to school communities.

Firstly I object to the term “spirituality”. Of course “spirituality” means different things to different people. Some consider a sunrise an “spiritual” event, while others maintain it refers to the wellbeing of your ethereal soul which will eventually find rest in heaven, or suffer eternal torment in hell. It’s the later definition I have issue with, because I do not believe I have one. I do not suppose that in this progressive, modern, secular society we could be provided with evidence for such things before enshrining them in public policy?

Anyway, the main objection here is not the good work (or otherwise) that Chaplains do throughout schools in Australia. It’s the fact I am paying for such things, when the rule book of Australia says I shouldn’t. I am sure there may have been calls for good services to be made more broadly in school communities, but it is not the responsibility of Government to provide religious services to anyone.

How much funding has been made available?

Under the Program $165 million over three years has been made available for government and non-government schools to establish school chaplaincy services, or expand existing services.

$165 million! $165,000,000.00!!! Holy crap! And why are we making this available to private school? Isn’t the idea behind private schools to fund their own way so they can teach whatever they like – including religious idiocy?

If a school is participating, do all students have to be involved?

No. It is not compulsory for students to participate. Schools must ensure that students and parents understand the voluntary nature of the Program and have the option of whether to utilise the services of a school chaplain.

I don’t care if it’s not compulsory for students to participate, that’s not the issue. The issues is I the tax payer am being made to pay for such services in the first place.

Do chaplains have to be Christian?

No. School communities will also determine the role, faith and, or denomination of the chaplain. The services provided by a chaplain should be appropriate to the school community and student context in which they will operate

It does not matter if the schools, community, or student picks which flavour of superstitious nonsense most suits their pallet. You still cannot ask for government money. Also, what happens to the Muslims, Buddhists, Scientologists, and Hindus when the school picks a Christian Chaplin? While the program does allow for additional Chaplins, it will not supply any additional funding for them. What financially responsible administrator will spread his dollar even thinner by providing such diverse services, for little perceived benefit?

Chaplains will be expected to respect the range of religious views and affiliations, and cultural traditions in the school and the community, and be approachable by students of all faiths. While recognising that an individual chaplain will in good faith express his or her belief and articulate values consistent with his or her denomination or religious belief, a chaplain should not take advantage of his or her privileged position to proselytise for that denomination or religious belief.

Right. So we are expected to believe the Chaplin will deeply respect the rights of other faiths, even when his own explicitly states these students “souls” are destined to have the flesh burnt from their bodies for all eternity – just because they chose the wrong invisible friend. Anything else is a watered down kind of faith that provides to impetuous to become one of their flock. Yeah right.

Also, what if you have NO faith? What if you are on of the increasing number of people who have considered the theist’s claims and rejected them? What the program is promoting here IS a religious view – theism. Considered in this light, the program is a direct and explicit violation of the Australian Constitution and should be scrapped immediately.

What do I need to know about Secular Pastoral Care Workers

… the Government made the decision to allow the funding already approved for these schools to be used for alternative support workers, if they could not find a chaplain by July 2008. These alternative providers may include counsellors, youth workers or other secular support staff. The offer only applied to those schools that had exhausted all reasonable avenues to find a suitable chaplain. It does not affect any other school that has successfully identified a chaplain that meets the school community’s needs.

So a “suitable Chaplin” is defined as one who has a religious point of view congruent with the community, school, or student body? If you can’t find one of those, then you will have to make do with an properly trained alternative professional, who can provide all the support, care, and guidance required without all the voodoo nonsense associated with religious dogmas. How does that make sense?

What is a school chaplain expected to do?
The services provided by a chaplain should be appropriate to the school and student context in which he or she will operate. Within this context, chaplains are expected to respect the range of religious views and affiliations, and cultural traditions in the school and the community, and be approachable by students of all faiths. It is not the purpose of chaplaincy services to bring about or encourage commitment to any set of beliefs.

Then why call it a National Chaplaincy in Schools Program if it’s not going to encourage a commitment to any specific belief set? Chaplin is defined as “a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel“, where clergy is defined as “the body of all people ordained for religious duties, esp. in the Christian” The very language of the program is slanted towards one particular belief set. If you are going to offer non-religious, unbiased, secular support for students, then I will stand behind you 100%. As it stands the language, and details of the plan give me zero confidence.

- Providing guidance to students on issues concerning human relationships;
- Assisting school counsellors and staff in the provision of student welfare services;
- Providing support in cases of bereavement, family breakdown or other crisis and loss situations; and
- Being readily available to provide continuity and on-going support for individual students and staff where this is necessary.

I fail to see how any of these tasks require a belief in the supernatural, an afterlife, a creator god, or perfect vicarious human sacrifices. Anyone?

It goes on, but I won’t bore you anymore with it. This entire program is poor form. Government should not be in the business of people’s personal beliefs about life, the universe, and anything beyond. By placing their grubby hands in the waters, the Government has made a mess of things. There are all sorts of nuanced cases where the rights of students, teachers, parents, and the society in which they reside are compromised, trodden on, ignored, or simply not recognised.

It is dangerous for the Government to be meddling is such things. Get back to concentrating on providing transport infrastructure, healthcare, security, order, and the best education for the next generation possible.

Tagged with: Chaplaincy, Church, Constitution, Education, Law, Schools, Secular, State

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