- The above clause has been directly copied from the 1875 Queensland Education Act.
- In 1910, to grant Education Queensland staff teachers the legal right to—as part of the curriculum—give Bible lessons to Queensland State school children, the five instances of the word “secular” within the 1875 Act were
expunged.
- Not only was ‘secular’ deleted from the above clause—the entire clause was removed—never to return.
- The ramifications and effects of its absence are staggeringly obvious within the pages of this website.
- Until this clause is restored to its original place within the Queensland Education Act, no child can be
guaranteed his or her basic human right to freedom from religion.
On April 13th 1910, a controversial referendum (strongly opposed by the then minority Roman Catholic church) was conducted in Queensland. It's important to note that while now bearing scant resemblance to it, every current manifestation of religious intrusion into Queensland state schools, when challenged, always claims statutory sanction via 'the referendum'. It doesn't.
The 1910 YES/NO was worded:
Are you in favour of introducing the following system into State Schools, namely:
The State Schoolmaster, in school hours, teaches selected Bible lessons from a reading book provided for the purpose, but is not allowed to give sectarian teaching:
Any minister of religion is entitled, in school hours, to give the children of his own denomination an hour's religious instruction on such day or days as the school committee can arrange for:
Any parent is entitled to withdraw his child from all religious teaching if he chooses to do so?
YES
NO
The results were.. Yes: 74,228. No: 56,681. Informal: 7,651. Wording reflecting the above outcome, including the reading of 'selected Bible lessons' by teachers, remains in the Queensland Education (General Provisions) Act and Regulation to this day.
Get your 'Back in The Act' info kit here
LATEST PRESS
OCT 9th 2008
Serpents in the Classrooms
ON LINE opinion
"Secular" was deleted
from the Queensland Education Act
in 1910.
To bring Queensland into line with Australia's other States and Territories while putting an end to the human rights defying absurdities within these pages, the word "secular" must be placed back in the Act.
Download your 3Mb PDF iinfo kit here
(RIGHT CLICK / SAVE AS)
Please send us any relevant anecdotes
LATEST MEDIA
08JUL08 EQ calls in World Vision:
open email
25JUN08 Sen. Lyn Allison: Qld Schools Downgrade Women and Girls
Fourth R open email 15JUN08
Welford, Bligh & Hunter
Fourth R open email 13JUN08
Welford, Bligh & Gillard
11JUN08 Lyn Allison
ABC Religion Report
04JUN08 AAP Release:
Hillsong allowed in Qld State Schools
Oh—and we're more than a little concerned that in the June 2007 edition of the Anglican 'Focus' magazine, Queensland Scripture Union CEO Tim Mander proudly announced:
"Through these extra school chaplains, 200,000 more young people will access the message of Jesus Christ's love, and receive spiritual support, guidance and pastoral care in both good times and bad".
Two sides of a Queensland Evang-Anglican church sign.
D.O.G.S
Australian Council for the Defence of Government Schools
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
(been on this case since 2005)
