Back in early March I posted a thread titled 'Jesus, Dinosaurs and Access Ministries' regarding religion in our state/secular schooling system. Here are a couple of the points I raised;

“my concern is that they are being left in classrooms with volunteers who have done as little as 6 hours study and who can come from creationist backgrounds.'

And;

“Ultimately primary school years are formative for our children so exposing them to possible anti-science and anti-tolerant views are risks that should not be taken lightly.”

After some pretty intense lobbying from a whole range of really good people another great result is being enacted in Victoria today with further tightening of the rules via a ministerial direction;

“requirements regarding the provision of Special Religious Instruction with which schools must comply from 14 July 2014'
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/curriculum/pages/religious.aspx

It's far more prescriptive for instance it codifies the requirement that the students must, through their parents, opt in rather than have to opt out and lack of parental permission is automatically taken as opting out. Other changes include cracking down on 'grooming' via presents and not leaving the children unattended with the religious instructors. Also it gives the principal a lot more discretion regarding offering SRI classes.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/department/legislation/md141.pdf

Part of my extended family are volunteer SRI instructors and at a gathering last week they were bemoaning the changes. I had not relayed the extent of my activism but stated I agreed with the new rules especially in light of an incident with a school in SW Victoria where year 6 students were given material portraying homosexuality as a sin and advising gay students seek counselling.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-23/biblezine-complaint-sparks-probe-into-religious-educator/5277766

In a riveting interview Sunday night Ian Thorpe 'came out' stating school yard pressure first drove him to lie about his sexuality and this in turn fuelled his depression and drinking which had such a dramatic impact on his life. The thought that the next 'Thorpedo' may have been at the Torquay school and subject to such material is sobering but thankfully these rules have dramatically lessened the chances of it happening again.

A good day.

SteeleRedux,

I've posted this on the forum before , but it's always a fascinating read. Did you ever read ACCESS Ministry's head Evonne Paddison's speech to Anglican Evangelical Fellowship in 2008?

http://www.scribd.com/doc/55338278/ACCESS-Ministry-s-head-Evonne-Paddison-s-speech-to-Anglican-Evangelical-Fellowship

Titled "Making Disciples in Every Generation"

Scroll down to highlighted areas for gems such as:

"In Australia we have a God-given open door to children and young people with the Gospel, our federal and state governments allow us to take the Christian faith into our schools and share it. We need to go an make disciples..."

"I believe that this is the greatest mission field we have in Australia: our children and our students. Our greatest field for disciple making."

"...but we must ask how much of that ministry is actually resulting in Christian conversion and discipleship growing and resulting in church growth?"

"We need missional attitudes, clear theological framework and intentional goals to impact on the lives of students and a clear biblical view of discipleship."

"There are 3.5 million students in Australia, not a bad mission field is it?"

(Keep scrolling, there's more)

What disgrace that you could link the choice of Thorpe to religious education in schools. His peers and reports in the media caused confusion on who he was, it was not RE in schools. He had expressed at one stage he wanted to marry and have a family, but with constant media reports that he was thought to be homosexual was just as influential in his decision. I say ban media reports that are the impressions of a reporter. That would close all women's gossip magazines. N.S.W. schools have a set curriculum.

Really Josephus?
You actually believe that media reports that Thorpe may be gay were part of the reason he is gay?

What rubbish.
I have absolutely no doubt that we are born with what sexuality we are, and no amount of praying will change that.

Religious 'chaplains' have no place in public schools.
Kids can get a more balanced counselling help from trained counsellors, religious or not...

fORGIVE ME/IM SEEING AN INVERSION...HERE OF THE ROLF HARRAS THREAD

ONly this is one of th\ose the media darlings love

i seem to recall but vaugly a FEW EVENTS LAST YEAR
QUickly huhed over caue the poor boy is sick in the HEAD

NOW HE NEEDS A SUPORT BAE TO REBUild his cred
and gay is the strongest lobby there IS
TWO INCOMES NO KIDS[THE GUYS GOING into politics]

when will you realise the media fills your minds with red herrings

star drawing power/he HAD HUGE SPONCESHIPS BUT WAS REVEALED TO BE A DIKK
NOW HE RETURNS//A huge media event[got every one talking

DONT PICK ON THE POOR RITCH GAY BOY~!
dont worry about THE JEWS JKILINGS/HERE TALK ABOUT HOMOS
THATS ALLWAYS A RIGHT READY TOPIC

SEXUAL DEVIATION
looK i got nuthing against gays
bt he was poluted as a child/we know what that means
now you love him/well take your young kiDS AND TAKE THEM SWIMMING

YOU seen the standS ARE TINY
THE CLICHE IS HUGE[HOW MANY HANGER ONS FOLLOW THE SWIM TEAM OF KIDS ARROUND?

please think people
love hatelove HQATE LOVE HATE

WHY An i feelng their gods or demnons
we ALL GOT FEET OF CLAY[STOP TALKING GAY/LIKE THE HOLLOCAUST/THATS HAD ITS DAY

[media mANIPULATORS SPINNING go away..
we havnt lEFT THE DAYS OF ROME
AMUSE THE SRFS MAKE THEM FEEL GRATITUDE

here is how it plays out in hell..

Chapter VII In Hell. The City of Hate (Rome) ............. 98
Chapter VLLI The Emperor. A Theater In Hell ............. 100
http://www.ghostcircle.com/ebooks/JSM_Ward%20-%20Gone_West.pdf

ANYHOW IdOLS HAVE FEAT OF CLAY
WE CREATE/THESE GOD-HEADS//ONLY LO0KING FOR A BIG PAY-DAY

WAKE UP PEOPLE
BE/YOUR OWN GOD

Homosexuality IS a sin, and is against the Law of God.

Lev 18:22 "you shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female. It is an abomination".

1Cor 6:9-10 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Do not be deceived, neither idolaters, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals shall inherit the Kingdom of God".