From The Sydney Morning Herald
Parents' group backs ethics classes
By Anna Patty
August 1, 2011
Students attend an Ethics class at Hilltop Primary School in Merrylands ... the Federation
of P&C Associations is concerned the government may bow to political
pressure and remove the classes. Photo: Wolter Peeters
THE state's peak parents' organisation has urged the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, to support ethics classes after it was reported he had bowed to pressure from the Reverend Fred Nile to consider having them removed.
At its annual conference on Saturday, the Federation of P&C Associations voted on a resolution calling on Mr O'Farrell to stick to an election promise not to remove the classes. The former Labor government introduced the classes in February as an alternative to scripture.
An association spokesman, David Giblin, said parents thought Mr Nile's suggestion to remove the classes was ''unethical''. Mr Nile has threatened to use his party's upper house votes to defeat the government's public service wages legislation if it fails to ensure ethics classes are not held at the same time as scripture.
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A plan to start paying the P&C president a salary for the first time in the volunteer organisation's 82-year history was blocked at the weekend conference. Members voted to delay a decision on the motion as debate was taking up too much conference time.
At its annual conference on Saturday, the Federation of P&C Associations voted on a resolution calling on Mr O'Farrell to stick to an election promise not to remove the classes. The former Labor government introduced the classes in February as an alternative to scripture.
An association spokesman, David Giblin, said parents thought Mr Nile's suggestion to remove the classes was ''unethical''. Mr Nile has threatened to use his party's upper house votes to defeat the government's public service wages legislation if it fails to ensure ethics classes are not held at the same time as scripture.
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A plan to start paying the P&C president a salary for the first time in the volunteer organisation's 82-year history was blocked at the weekend conference. Members voted to delay a decision on the motion as debate was taking up too much conference time.
Full Story: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/parents-group-backs-ethics-classes-20110731-1i6eu.html
