I guess as the saying goes, "all's fair in love and war", but this statement not only goes too far, it is factually wrong:

"During the Cold War and after a sustained period of clerical activism, a statutory exception was made to the “secular principle” granting a right for the church to use part of the school day to conduct Special Religious Instruction."

The fact is that prior to the 1870's many schools were started and owned by the churches, like the one next door to the Presbyterian Church I attend. The churches (RC's excepted) handed over their Schools to the State and in return provision was made for religious education. That has been the system ever since. Certainly as a child in the early 1950's we had religious instruction in school by the local Anglican rector - I remember it well. Nothing to do with the cold war.

As far as I'm concerned it is not the churches imposing their opinions on secularists, but precisely the other way around, and without too much grace either - more like intolerant bullying.

It is precisely why for these kinds of intolerant secularising, anti religion opinions so many Christians have pulled their children out of the State School system and started their own schools over the past 30+ years.

I agree David, I went to public schools, but I could never send my kids to a public school now - all the talk of equality, secularism and the anti-Christianity is a real turn off. It's a pity I still have to fund public schools though.

I agree totally with the author. As an atheist I find it abhorrent that we allow religious people into our schools to attempt to indoctrinate our children with what I consider are absolute lies and fantasy. For all those religious people out there who think this is good, ask yourself how you would feel if the government allowed people like myself to go into the schools with the intention of telling your children that "there are no gods". It would be undermining what you are teaching them at home.
I don't object to the teaching of comparative religion as this will only serve to show the children that all religions are equally ridiculous. But "special religious education" is nothing but indoctrination. My daughter should be able to attend school without having her mind poisoned by some religious nut. Likewise she should not need to "opt out" of any part of the school day to avoid this mind poisoning. If parents want to indoctrinate their children, they can do so at home or send them to religious schools. There is no place for SRE in state schools.

Where has Tim been living for the last 50 years? He writes 'Or shall we keep our children together and educate them to be knowledgeable and respectful of the many traditions that make up modern Australia? '

We have seen secularism produce disrespect, a great increase in violence, perversion, rebellion, arrogance, immorality, debauchery, teen pregnacy, abortion and he now claims that secularism is respectful of Australian traditions. Please give us a break from this nonsense.

Another day, another Christophobic article.

Yawn.

Rhys Jones,
You have the right to have your children exempt from attending religious education. However Murray O'Hare's atheist mother lobbied to have religion removed from schols in the USA, this made Murray inquisitive to why; as most of the children attending religious education seemed decent kids. Today he is a Christian evangelist and sought after preacher.

Yes I suggest you exempt your children from religious indoctrination; they might just be able to make up their own minds!