Could someone please explain the role of a School Chaplaincy Program in a secular school?

[i-need-a-martini]

I don't understand how parents at secular public schools can accept this?

[k0llectable5]

I should also point out that the chaplaincy program is a christian program. What role does a christian chaplain have in a jewish school or muslim school? Those schools no longer have the ability to select someone of their OWN religion either.

One would assume that a majority muslim or Jewish school would employ a muslim or Jewish chaplain.  Chaplaincy is not exclusive to the Christian faith.  I just cant imagine a Jewish or Muslim school employing a Christian Chaplain...

And to quote Ruth Pinkerton ( CEO SU Tasmania) who wrote a great article on this very topic and to which I totally agree with but she says it much more eloquently than I ever could....

"We all have a particular world view and subscribe to ideologies, whether we publicly acknowledge them
or not. One of the myths of … if I may call it… hard line secularism is that if you keep religion out of
something then it is values neutral. To me this just does not make sense. Every member of a school
community has values whether they be religious or atheistic or political, or whatever. We all carry those
around with us and of course they influence our decisions, our commentary, our way of being. It seems
to me that we all must necessarily be careful about how we apply our views. But simply to say that we
can keep them out of schools is utterly unrealistic. What we should be doing is exploring one another’s
values and coming to a considered understanding of the values we all share or aspire to."

[i-need-a-martini]

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@secondhand-wonderland wrote:

I should also point out that the chaplaincy program is a christian program. What role does a christian chaplain have in a jewish school or muslim school? Those schools no longer have the ability to select someone of their OWN religion either.

One would assume that a majority muslim or Jewish school would employ a muslim or Jewish chaplain.  Chaplaincy is not exclusive to the Christian faith.  I just cant imagine a Jewish or Muslim school employing a Christian Chaplain...

__________________________________

Given that the main selection criteria for the chaplaincy is that you have to be a "committed Christian" I am wondering how you can select a Jewish or Muslim Chaplain?

And make no mistake - you MUST be Christian.

Here is the blurb from the queensland chapter: 

SU QLD Chaplains model the compassion and unconditional love demonstrated and taught by Jesus, as recorded in the Bible.  Each SU QLD Chaplain will therefore be a person whose beliefs and lifestyle reflect a Biblical understanding of and a commitment to the teachings, life and person of Jesus Christ.

While exercising their role from within a framework of Christian belief and promoting positive Christian values, SU QLD Chaplains will be sensitive to and respectful of people who hold beliefs and values different from their own. SU QLD Chaplains will be available to all students, staff and parents within the school community, regardless of religious affiliation.

Each state (which is responsible for recruitment) has similar selecyion criteria.

[i-need-a-martini]

And here is an article about the termination of the position in the schools in my area - which is a highly diverse, multicultural area.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/chaplaincy-program-leaves-secular-workers-with...

[azureline**]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

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@secondhand-wonderland wrote:

But they dont preach or teach religious ideology so how is it inappropriate? Are you saying that a Christian chaplain is not welcome to support a distressed muslim or athiest child?

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Have you not read any of the examples I have written on here?

It has nothing to do with "not welcome" but all to do with not appropriate.

A trained psychologist is the most appropriate person to support a distressed child of ANY religious persuasion. A chaplain is not trained and certainly not trained to not show bias based on their religious values.

If my child was having a problem with his sexuality and was unable to discuss his distress with me, the LAST person I would want him discussing this with is someone who would have a religious slant on the issue.

But thanks to the changes instigated by this government, schools no longer have the ability to select a NON-religious professional to fill this role in schools.

I should also point out that the chaplaincy program is a christian program. What role does a christian chaplain have in a jewish school or muslim school? Those schools no longer have the ability to select someone of their OWN religion either.

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So, if by chance the psychologist was Christian/Catholic/Anglican etc, should they be unable to take that job? in case of their personal bias?

[Anonymous]

Chaplains can represent different faiths.

http://www.ssu.uts.edu.au/chaplaincy/faiths/index.html

[freakiness]

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@*julia*2010 wrote:

Chaplains can represent different faiths.

http://www.ssu.uts.edu.au/chaplaincy/faiths/index.html

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The argument is not about chaplains representing different faiths. It is about people getting excluded and losing their jobs because the rules have been changed to require all chaplains be christian.

What is so wrong with other qualified people performing the same roles/tasks as the religious people?

[Anonymous]

I was replying to  i-need-a-martini's post.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@azureline** wrote:

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

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So, if by chance the psychologist was Christian/Catholic/Anglican etc, should they be unable to take that job? in case of their personal bias?

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Even an atheist psychologist would have have personal values. But a psychologist would not be employed under the auspices or on the basis of their Christian religion.

Now the foremost requirement is their Christianity.

[azureline**]

I agree that it is wrong for them to change the criteria.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@*julia*2010 wrote:

Chaplains can represent different faiths.

http://www.ssu.uts.edu.au/chaplaincy/faiths/index.html

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The UTS chaplain is not part of this programme.