Religion in schools in Victoria under media assault

There has been quite a controversy in "The Age" since an article appeared regarding Religious Education in Schools on13th May 2011; This can be accessed as follows.

Read more:

http://www.theage.com.au/national/school-religion-classes-probed-20110512-1ekr9.html#ixzz1N5NrCxAnpseudonym

or on my facebook, under William Spencer http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000959545360

Access ministries have come under great criticism from the media. Reportedly,the CEO Canon Evonne Paddison is being criticized for unfortunately challenging an Anglican Evangelical group in 2008 in contradiction to government rules, to support their work as it is an opportunity to evangelise. This could have the potential of removing government permission to teach CE in state schools.

I responded under the comments section of this article as follows

I taught Religious Education on and off for over forty years under the predecessor of ACCESS ministries. Last stint was for eight years, ending in 1996 when I retired. For most of those eight years I was convener at the inner suburban school in which I taught. My experience was that teachers, staff, parents and children appreciated the input. Under the predecessor of ACCESS Ministries, it was made quite clear that proselytizing was not allowed. Rightly so. It is a surprise to note that under the new administration this is not so. I consider that each child has a right as a human being to be taught about religion, and taught enthusiastically. A good teacher of English literature or a good maths teacher is known by the enthusiasm that child takes up the subject matter. So it should not be surprising if a child receiving religious education becomes enthusiastic about religion and seeks to experience more of it. Religion and History have each had enormous influence on the nature of the culture we experience in Australia, so much so that it is an abuse of that child's innate rights if he or she is not taught religion instruction. Magic Sound suggests it is a form of child abuse to teach a child religion before they have developed their critical faculties. But does not this then apply to all subjects? If at a later stage they question the efficacy of religion, shouldn't they have the knowledge to know what they are rejecting? Should a quasi religion develop in our society with the potential to do great harm, should they not know how to differentiate between the real and the false? Academics like Low, and Yip warn that such a "salvation" religion is here unnoticed.
Intentionality | Hallam Vic - May 13, 2011, 11:41AM