5 misconceptions about Chaplains

According to Eternity.biz (our antithesis?), the Scripture Union of Queensland “has complied a list of what it regards as the key misconceptions about school chaplains“.

1: Chaplains teach Religious Education in schools – and therefore the Commonwealth is funding RE in state schools

No Commonwealth funds are used for the instruction of Religious Education in state schools. Education Queensland’s ‘Religious Instruction in School Hours’ policy prohibits Chaplains from teaching Religious Education (RE) in schools during the hours they are employed to fulfil their Chaplaincy duties.

While School Chaplains and Special Religious Education are often opposed by the similar groups people for similar reasons, they are completely different subjects.  I am not aware of anyone who opposes the National Schools Chaplaincy Program because funds are used to provide Special Religious Education.  Indeed, I was not aware this was even a consideration.  Sorry Scripture Union, you have mischaracterised those opposing school chaplains here.

2: School chaplains are not qualified

In 2007, SU QLD introduced a new minimum standard for training school chaplains — the nationally accredited (under the Australian Quality Training Framework) Diploma of Youth Work (School Chaplaincy). This trains chaplains in areas such as Crisis Management with Young People (including Suicide Intervention and Prevention, Grief and Loss Responses, and Critical Incidence Management), Child Protection, Developing Programs with Young People, Interpersonal Work with Young People (including an introduction to Counselling and Pastoral Care) and Community Work with Young People.

The official Departmental FAQ only lists the required qualifications for school chaplains under two bullet points:

“For the purposes of this Program, a school chaplain is a person who is recognised:

- by the local school, its community and the appropriate governing authority as having the skills and experience to deliver school chaplaincy services to the school and its community; and

through formal ordination, commissioning, recognised qualifications or endorsement by a recognised or accepted religious institution or a State/Territory government approved chaplaincy service.”

Scripture Union should be commended for demanding higher standards than the Government guidelines require, however we must remember they are not the only chaplaincy provider in the country.  However, recent advertisements for school chaplains, applicants must:

“… have experience and confidence in working with young people and have or be willing to obtain appropriate qualifications (e.g. in youth work, counselling, teaching, or theology).”

Being “willing to obtain appropriate qualifications” effectively means many chaplains are working while undergoing training; and one must wonder what skills theology grants that enables an individual to deal with the difficult situations children can face.

As a result, and according to reasearch conducted by The Rationalist Society of Australia on the Effectivness of Chaplaincy, only 2.5% are qualified in counselling or psychology. In addition, according to the Department’s own FAQ, all efforts must be made to hire someone of the selected religion and/or demonination before other candidates are considered.  Is is something of a Furphy to claim all chaplains have the necessary qualifications to deal with the sometime difficult, troubling, and dangerous circumstances in which some children find themselves. This is a far cry from hiring people based on their merits rather than their religious beliefs as Scripture Union might have you believe.

3: Chaplaincy is being forced on my child

It is not compulsory for students to participate in a school chaplaincy program. 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 find myself a little confused by this statement.  According the the Minister for School Education, Mr. Peter Garrett, school chaplains are there to:

“… enhance students’ overall wellbeing, not to impose any religious beliefs or persuade an individual toward a particular set of religious beliefs.”

Given the nature of school chaplains as presented by the Department, what exactly are Scripture Union asking parents being asked to opt out of?  Perhaps Scripture Union themselves are confused between Special Religious Education and School Chaplaincy?  If so, this is a most worrying development.

4: There is no accountability of school chaplains

Education Queensland has developed a formal policy around the operation of chaplaincy services in state schools. SU QLD school chaplains are supervised by state school principals via their school-based line manager.

While it’s nice to hear school chaplains are not religious laws unto themselves roaming rampant in our public schools, this is an irrelevancy to the discriminatory, divisive, and priviledged position school chaplains enjoy within our public education system.

5: School chaplains are there to evangelise their faith

A chaplaincy program is to be inclusive of and show respect for all religious and non-religious beliefs and other stances represented in the school community. All activities and events provided within a chaplaincy program are non-discriminatory and equitably available to students of all beliefs and who choose to participate and who have parental consent. Participation in all aspects of chaplaincy services is voluntary.

A code of conduct covering the behaviour and services provided by school chaplains does prohibit them from preaching, proslytising, evanglising, or converting school children under their care.  However, there have been many instances of school chaplains flouting the code of conduct with little or no repurcussions.  This brings into question the accountability of school chaplains in the public school system as promoted in point 4.

6: Chaplains are not qualified to counsel students

It is important to note that School Chaplains cannot provide services for which they are not qualified, such as counselling services or psychological assessment.

School Chaplains are free to chat with students and to build relationships with them.  Chaplains are often the first point of contact for students who are experiencing difficulties.

School Chaplains DO NOT counsel students.  They are trained to refer students to professional counselling services in consultation with the School Principal when required.

Let me get this straight.  School chaplains are hired on the basis of their religious beleifs, but are not allowed to preach, proslytise, evanglisie or convert school children, nor are they allowed to counsel or provide psychological assessments (if not coincidently qualified). According to a study by the Rationalists Society of Australia, the following percentage of chaplains dealt with these issues within two weeks of the survey:

• 95% of chaplains reported dealing with behaviour management issues, such as anger
• 92% with bullying and harassment
• 92% with peer relationships and loneliness
• 91% with student – family relationship issues
• 85% with sense of purpose and self-esteem
• 81% with grief and loss
• 77% with community involvement and social inclusion
• 76% with spirituality and ‘big picture’ issues of life
• 72% with mental health and depression
• 50% with alcohol and drug use, and
• 44% with self harm and suicide

If school chaplains are ONLY there to “students to professional counselling services in consultation with the School Principal when required” then what is the jstification for effectively demanding they be religious?  What magical powers do religious people possess which rational, secular, professioanl qualified people do not?

The National Schools Chaplaincy Program is rotten at its core and must be replaced with a non-discriminatory, secular, and inclusive program immediately.

For more information on the National Schools Chaplaincy Program, visit our campaign page.

Tagged with: Chaplains, NSCP, QLD, School, Scripture Union

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