Abdullah Khan & Mark Spencer: Forcing faith schools to abandon beliefs violates ‘fair go’ ideal

Australians have long cherished the notion that people deserve a fair go, and rightly so. Many activist groups, however, now weaponise that notion through language of equality in order to lay siege to freedoms and attitudes long held dear by the Australian public, most recently in WA against the freedom of parents to choose a school that reflects their values and beliefs. Here, a false equivalence is drawn between the freedom of faith-based schools to teach in line with their enduring values and beliefs and alleged discrimination against LGBTQI+ groups. Christian and Islamic schools have commonly emerged at great personal cost and sacrifice to the founders. They have generally been established by, and for, people of faith, in order that they might have a place to provide education in line with that faith’s values and adhering to the faith’s doctrine. In response to extraordinary demand, and in service to the wider community, faith-based schools have often opened up to others who want that same faith-based education. The schools are clear on what they stand for and the education they provide, those who want that same education are welcomed. A recent survey garnering over 8500 responses within Christian schools confirmed that 75 per cent of parents in those schools want ”traditional Christian values” as a key part of the education and child formation process. Faith-based schools serve a unique role in education, imparting knowledge while adhering to specific ethos and values. Religious education is an active choice by parents. There is always a government school alternative for those who do not want a faith-based education. Claims otherwise are simply incorrect. Faith-based schools, such as those represented by our associations, are about teaching enduring values and beliefs held for millennia, values and beliefs clearly embedded in foundational documents of the various faith groups and the schools. These are not beliefs that change with changes in leadership, despite claims to the contrary. Equally, these beliefs, and the need to ensure that staff are aligned with those beliefs, are consistently applied. Evidence to a Senate inquiry in 2022 clearly demonstrated that Christian schools have a track record of applying these requirements even-handedly, there is not targeting of particular beliefs alone as some have claimed. Schools should not be encroached upon in order to force a change to these beliefs. Let’s be clear about a few issues. Staff know the beliefs of the school prior to employment. If they have a change of their beliefs during their employment, faith-based schools still want to care for and support that staff member with humility and love. However, they cannot be expected to allow those staff to impose their changed beliefs about important matters of faith onto a faith-based school that has been entirely consistent about their beliefs from the start. Often the best option for the employee is to seek a change in their employment. This is what would be expected in many other organisations, including political parties, and advocacy groups. Within many faiths and belief systems there are also differences of doctrine. What denying the ability of schools to employ staff in line with their particular, clearly stated, values and beliefs suggests is that one set of doctrines, should be imposed upon all believers. Is that really “just” or “equal” as some of its proponents claim? The autonomy of faith-based schools in hiring and firing decisions is integral to preserving the unique character of these institutions. Balancing inclusivity with the right to maintain religious identity contributes to a diverse educational landscape that respects the values of all involved parties. The attempts to force faith-based schools to abandon their beliefs removes the option of a genuine faith-based school from parents – not really the fair go Australia is all about. Abdullah Khan is the president of the Islamic Schools Association of Australia. Mark Spencer is the director of public policy at Christian Schools Australia.