School Chaplains
Believe it or not, I am not against religion, per se. If people have a religion, good for them. I even think children learning about the main religions (not just Christianity) is a good idea. I just don't like it when their beliefs affect me. Hence, I find it strange that our Anglican PM needs to fund chaplains in schools:
Mr Howard yesterday announced $90 million would be made available for individual schools to appoint religious counsellors to help students deal with traumatic events and provide guidance.
The plan provides up to $20,000 a year for schools to employ the chaplains. The Federal Government has urged state governments to match the funding.
Mr Howard has told Macquarie Radio that the Government would ensure the chaplains are not extremists, but he denies that the plan blurs the line between church and state.
For traumatic events? Why? Personally, I'd rather have a trained counsellor looking after my children. But that aside, I was under the impression you could seek religious counsel for free at your nearby church. Not that easy for professional help. My sentiments are echoed:
The Parents and Citizens Federation (PCF) says the Government's plan is misguided.
PCF New South Wales spokeswoman Sharon Canty says schools have a greater need for trained counsellors.
"The chaplains, we believe, are being installed to acknowledge grief and communities in trauma and we'd like to see school counsellors, as they are recognising trauma on a daily basis," she said.
"At the moment there are one to 1,000 ratio in our schools - we see this as a high priority need area."
But not everyone agrees that spending money on trained counsellors is a good idea:
But Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Association (QCPCA) president Brett Devenish does not agree the $90 million package for chaplains could be better spent on school counsellors who are trained psychologists.
"The local chaplaincy committees tend to appreciate the simplicity of the processes so they can support the youth of their community through a chaplaincy program that isn't bogged down by processes of procedure and things like that," he said
Ah, Queensland - the beloved Deep North. Damn those pesky procedures. Getting in the way of some good old fashion "The Big G will look after you, my child" advice.
Mr Howard yesterday announced $90 million would be made available for individual schools to appoint religious counsellors to help students deal with traumatic events and provide guidance.
The plan provides up to $20,000 a year for schools to employ the chaplains. The Federal Government has urged state governments to match the funding.
Mr Howard has told Macquarie Radio that the Government would ensure the chaplains are not extremists, but he denies that the plan blurs the line between church and state.
For traumatic events? Why? Personally, I'd rather have a trained counsellor looking after my children. But that aside, I was under the impression you could seek religious counsel for free at your nearby church. Not that easy for professional help. My sentiments are echoed:
The Parents and Citizens Federation (PCF) says the Government's plan is misguided.
PCF New South Wales spokeswoman Sharon Canty says schools have a greater need for trained counsellors.
"The chaplains, we believe, are being installed to acknowledge grief and communities in trauma and we'd like to see school counsellors, as they are recognising trauma on a daily basis," she said.
"At the moment there are one to 1,000 ratio in our schools - we see this as a high priority need area."
But not everyone agrees that spending money on trained counsellors is a good idea:
But Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Association (QCPCA) president Brett Devenish does not agree the $90 million package for chaplains could be better spent on school counsellors who are trained psychologists.
"The local chaplaincy committees tend to appreciate the simplicity of the processes so they can support the youth of their community through a chaplaincy program that isn't bogged down by processes of procedure and things like that," he said
Ah, Queensland - the beloved Deep North. Damn those pesky procedures. Getting in the way of some good old fashion "The Big G will look after you, my child" advice.
posted by Engels at 1:13 pm
8 Comments:
Actually, I think the PM is non-practicing Methodist.
Regardless, this is a dumb idea and open to abuse. (from raving loony Xian chaplains to pro-Jihadist Muslim ones).
Wait, sorry, you were right...seems JoHo was raised Methodist, but is now Anglican...
I didn't think we had many methodists in Oz, hence why they united two other protestant churces to form the Uniting Church.
I figured he was Anglican because I thought he attended Anglican services around Christmas and Easter. No doubt his wife had something to with it.
Is Bush a Methodist-born turn Baptist, or the othe way around?
Xian? Chinese Christianity?
Ah, Bush was born some variant of Anglican, and became a Methodist just like his wife. The difference? I have no idea.
Bush is Episcopalian turned Methodist....
...well, actually, he probably wasn't "really" Episcopalian - he freely admits he spent most of his pre-Methodist days drunk.
Now, now Aidan. With that logic, most Irish aren't Christian. Actually, having lived with some Polish (in Ireland), I can they ain't much better. They used to praise the old pope between their weed-smoking sessions.
I always assumed Choofa would become a Catholic priest...
Nah, too much of an Anglophile - maybe Anglican priest then.
Chuffa used to skip on Chaplain sessions in late highschool. Perhaps he had a nasty encounter?
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