Education union blasts $245m budget funding for school chaplains
By Daniella Miletic
May 14, 2014 — 5.17pm
The almost quarter of a billion dollars put aside for the controversial school chaplaincy program in this week's federal budget is "completely misdirected" and should instead be used to address the needs of students with disabilities, according to the Australian Education Union.
The program, which funds school chaplains providing spiritual guidance and is currently facing a High Court challenge, will be continued for another five years at a cost of $245.3 million. Under the program, 3700 schools are eligible for up to $72,000 funding to employ chaplains.
"This is money that should be directed to meet the educational needs of the students": Australian Education Union president Angelo Gavrielatos. Credit:Carlos Furtado
Since it was started, the program has drawn critics such as the education union, which believes it undermines the secular tradition of state schools. "We have never supported this program because this is money that should be directed to meet the educational needs of students," president Angelo Gavrielatos said. "We have a situation where there are 100,000 students with disabilities not receiving the disability funding they need. There is more being spent on school chaplains than there is in dealing with the needs of students with disabilities ... surely that is a higher priority?"
In 2012 Ron Williams, a Queensland father of six, won a 2012 High Court case challenging the legitimacy of the chaplaincy program, forcing the government to push through new legislation to ensure that the program and hundreds of other arrangements could continue to be funded. Mr Williams has returned to the High Court to challenge this law.
Peter Garrigan, president of the Australian Council of State School Organisations, which represents the parent bodies of public schools, said the funding was money badly spent. "There is a strong need across the board to be supporting students with disabilities ... and putting another $245 million into a chaplaincy program certainly isn't providing the educational outcomes that we as parents would be expecting."
The Australian Psychological Society described the decision as "appalling". "There are no reasonable standards of quality of training for people who take on essentially counselling roles in the school situation," spokesman and psychologist David Stokes said.
But the National School Chaplaincy Association welcomed the decision, saying it demonstrated a government understanding of the value of the program. "Thousands of Australians have been waiting on this decision because they experience the benefits of the program within their school community and are eager to see it continue," a statement said.
Ringwood Secondary College principal Michael Phillips also welcomed the continued funding. He said the program had strong local support and that their own school chaplain, Adam Bryant, was a good role model for students.
Mr Bryant said chaplains "offer a safe place" for students to talk about their problems. "We are of course trained to refer to specialist help where required, but often getting help begins with us," he said. "I love my role here ... just being there for the students is an amazing privilege and I think I have one of the best jobs ever."
Daniella Miletic
Daniella Miletic is a journalist for The Age. She has been the paper's social affairs editor, food and wine writer, consumer affairs and a law and justice reporter. Email or tweet Daniella with your news tips.