Arjay says "The State is a poor substitute for a caring family."

My opinion is that it’s no substitute at all. But there are many teachers, in both secular and faith-oriented schools who do the job of parent substitutes. This may or may not involve the overt transfer of spiritual values.

Most teachers in Australian states are highly qualified, registered professionals who are answerable for their actions, both to their employer and to their board of registration. I wonder about the individuals who will be chosen as chaplains. What is the federal government asking for, in terms of requirements? A certain level of education? A good character check? A track record in "social services"? This is in addition to the spiritual qualities of a pastoral carer recognised as a chaplain.

I’d be delighted if the School Chaplaincy grants program were abandoned as "unconstitutional". What I see happening is the Federal Gov't throwing money at the needy, to promote the migration of students from secular schools to private schools

All schools can use more staff, more responsible, caring adults. If the program is strongly subscribed, I predict that there will be clear patterns in its adoption. For faith-based schools, which cater to parents who accept that a particular religious ethos is going to be inculcated in their children at the school of their choice, the case seems pretty straightforward. The school can say "We are agents of a particular faith, therefore it is reasonable that we have a chaplain of this particular faith." And if the parents don’t approve, they can exercise their privelege of choice in a free market economy, and take their children elsewhere.

But the state schools must cater for all. They cater for the two thirds of the country's students who range from the insightfully devout, of many faiths, to the blissfully lumpen who have never given their spirituality half a breath. These state schools will have a much harder time finding the right chaplains to meet their needs, and the money to fund them adequately. Especially if matching funds are involved.

rex

if abortion is not murder what is it. it a featus is a living human that has not fully developed much the same as an autistic child is not fully developed should we start disposing of them also.

All that it amounts to is attempted vote buying and a complete waste of funds that could be better spent elsewhere.

Who chooses the Chaplain? Can a religious principal get a religious mate? (Stacking Public schools with the ultra relgious people often happens in America)

Some of the Sydney schools are up to 50-60% made of migrant kids, what relevancy will a Christian Chaplain have?

How do you choose between different denominations?

What will be the deal with homosexual students?

What a joke. At a time when real spending in Education has fallen over the last decade.

Schools should be for teaching kids enough to enable them to get jobs. Anything else is the responsibility of the parents - not John Howard or Big Brother,or the Nanny State.

Money should be put into allowing at least one parent to stay at home with their children until they go to school. That way, values can be taught - including religious beliefs is desired.

I agree with what most of you are saying against the idea of chaplains in schools.

If the idea wasn't so tragic, I'd laugh.

Good questions asked- I wonder how Howard would answer these.
Can't he see that this might create a lot of friction between different religions?
He will have to wriggle himself out this situation when (not 'if') it turns into a mess.

I really think that the money could be much more wisely be spend on other ways to improve ecucation, or as mentioned already, to improve on already existing school counselling programs.

If the minister is willing to spend 90 million on school chaplains, but just 20 million on improving childrens’ reading skills and an indigenous tutorial scheme, a lousy 5 million on kids with disabilities, then it is clear to me where his priorities lie.

The more people who mess with childrens' heads, the more worried I am.

Good point that RObert made is also: How qualified are these chaplains?
Howard seems to think that every Tom, Dick and Harry under the umbrella of 'chaplains' can do the job.

If people want their children to be taught and adviced by chaplains they should attend a church of their choice.

Schools need to concentrate on educating children, teaching them skills.

Religion needs to stay as much out of public education as it has to stay out of politics.

What will he think of next?

The largest bloc of convicted pedophiles has come from the religious sector in our community. Why does Howard want to put the foxes in charge of the chicken coop when non sectarian councillors are available?