“The Nurture and Admonition of the Lord”: Brethren Schooling and the Debate on Religious Schools in .

Bernard Doherty

Macquarie University St Mark’s National Theological Centre (Charles Sturt University. Introduction.

1. Education Reform Agenda: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (ALP) – 2007-2010 (2013). Prime Minister Julia Gillard (ALP) – 2010-2013. Prime Minister Tony Abbott (Lib.) – 2013-Present.

2. Privatization of Public Infrastructure: 1996-Present.

3. State aid: Provision of state aid to non-government (aka private, independent schools). Post-1964.

4. Constitutionality: Constitutional challenge on s. 116 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia (1981): Attorney-General (Vic); Ex Rel Black v Commonwealth (“DOGS case”) [1981] HCA 2; (1981) 146 CLR 559 (2 February 1981).

5. Political Opposition: Australian Greens Party.

Polarization of Education Debate. Pro-Privatization Anti-Privatization

Marion Maddox, Taking God to School: The End of Australia’s Jennifer Buckingham, The Rise of Religious Schools (: Egalitarian Education (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2014). Centre for Independent Studies Policy Monographs, 2010). The Brethren and the “School Wars” Since 1997, the PBCC have received generous government subsidies in Australia for the operation of their schools alongside other non-government schools. Since 2004, however, they have been the most heavily scrutinized of the recipients of state aid. Historical Background.

Below: The Goulburn School State Aid in Australian Strike, 1962. Education

1. 1870s: Australian Colonies settle on ‘free, compulsory, and secular’ education sector to avoid sectarianism. 2. Roman Catholic Bishops under leadership of Archbishop Roger Vaughan establish Catholic system without government aid. Archbishop Vaughan

“[We] condemn the principle of secularist education and those schools founded on that principle…they are the seed plots of future immorality, inidelity and lawlessness.” (1879). Historical Background

1964 - Menzies’ Liberal government 1962 Goulburn School passes States Grants(Science Laboratories and Technical Training) Strike. Act 1964.

1969 – Menzies’ Government passes States Grants (Independent Schools) Act 1969.

1974 – Whitlam Labor Government extends recurrent federal government funding to all schools on a “needs basis.”

Every Federal government since has increased funding to non- government schools to some degree.

Political Differences in Approach to State Aid

Liberal Party of Australia (Conservative) (Progressive)

More favorable to government More favorable to non-government schools and a “needs based” schools and increased privatization approach to lower socio-economic (“school choice”). Catholic and independent schools. Constitutional Challenge: the “DOGS” Case [DOGS=Defend Our Government Schools]

Constitution of the Attorney-General (Vic); Ex R]el Black v Commonwealth of Australia s. Commonwealth (“DOGS case”) [1981] 116: HCA 2; (1981) 146 CLR 559 (2 February 1981). Dismissed by ¾ High “The Commonwealth shall not Court Justices * make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualiication for any ofice or public trust under the Commonwealth.” * Justice Lionel Murphy dissented.

Additional Developments.

1. Signiicant shift in enrolments from government to non-government schools. 2. The rise of the ‘New Christian Schools (NCS)’ 3. Controversies over NCSs: (a) Links with right-wing Christian lobby groups (e.g. the Australian Christian Lobby). (b) Claims such schools are socially divisive.

The Brethren Schools.

Political Concern. Media Headlines

‘Poor little rich school’

‘Sect in a class of its own’

‘Sect’s schools lush from

parents – and federal funds’

“[A] complete, total abuse of the funding system.” – Dr. John Kaye ‘Brethren school kids MLC (New South Wales, Greens). “brainwashed”’

Australian Education Union (AEU)

“How can the Federal Government justify handing over tens of millions of dollars to an organisation it believes is a cult like the Exclusive Brethren while public schools, which educate the vast majority of our children, are struggling for funds? Why are they enriching a cult rather than using the funding to improve the education of young Australians in public schools?”

-Press Release January 12, 2010 (emphasis added)

(Note: Gavrielatos is being rhetorical here. Angelo Gavrielatos All government schools still receive around double the government funding of President of the AEU non-government schools) (Federal). Criticisms of Brethren Schools. 1. Preferential Funding. 2. Threaten Social Cohesion. 3. Restrictive Practices: curriculum content, IT, tertiary studies. Religious Schools Controversy “Not all religious schools generate the same amount of community disquiet. Two types of school in particular receive the most media attention – Islamic schools and the Exclusive Brethren schools. Arguably, much unease about these schools stems from the lack of information and, in some cases, misinformation… there is no reason to believe that these schools are the source of problems either for students or for society.” Above: Jennifer Buckingham (Centre for Independent Studies – Conservative Think The Rise of Religious Schools Tank) (Australia: Centre for Independent Studies, Policy Monograph 111: 2010), p. ix.

Major Aims.

1. Overview of Brethren Schools: Structure, Funding, and Performance. 2. The Brethren School Controversy: The 2004 Election Campaign and its Aftermath. Ministry of John S. Hales on the Foundation of Brethren Schools.

The generable reception we’ve Well we must be reasonable had from the head masters has with the authorities. We don’t been very acceptable, and we want to be unreasonable or to need to be on our faces about try and run the schools, we can’t that… But if we’re established in do that. But we can just state the truth… and the value of the where we stand in serious Scriptures, then the Lord will matters. The administrators are help us and support us in our at their wits’ end, there’s no approaches. And we won’t be question about that… so we dificult, we won’t be holding a gun at their head, that’s not our want to be able to help where business. We’re not trying to run we can. But we don’t want our the state or the education system children deiled. Scripture is or anything, we’re just trying to plain, to be simple as to evil, wise run our own lives according to as to that which is good. God. (July 12, 1989) (May 13, 1989) The Brethren Schools.

1. M.E.T. School (New South Wales). 2. Glenvale (Victoria) 3. Agnew School (Queensland) 4. Oakwood School (Tasmania) 5. Woodthorpe School (Western Australia) 6. Meridian (South Australia)

No Schools in Northern Territory and A.C.T. (Australian Capital Territory). James Taylor Junior on Value of Education and the University Environment

“There is nothing wrong “You want to keep your with education itself. children at home, and not let them leave your home to go There is danger in it, of to college to learn. That is course, in these things the whole trouble. We do not that are being taught regard the household today, but there is nothing properly and then our children go out, and they get wrong in education itself. out of our control. If our The point is, what is the children could go to college trend of your mind, what and not leave home, they is your bent of mind?” would be that far safe.” (October, 1965). (December, 1960). Overview

1. 413 Teachers. 2. 2733 Students.

Funding Structure (2013):

Federal Recurrent Grants: $19.5 Million AUD.

State Recurrent Grants: $6.4 Million AUD.

Above: M.E.T. Maitland Fees: Choir perform at Nursing $6.4 Million AUD. home. Private Sources: $30 Million AUD – Probably Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) donations.

Curriculum

1. National Curriculum and State Requirements (including evolution). 2. Instrumental rather than Expressive. 3. After Year 9 more gender speciic. 4. Limitations on topics which might conlict with Brethren values (e.g. HSC Visual Arts). 5. IT usage (especially Video Conferencing Classes). 6. Self-Directed Learning (SDL). 7. Religion is not taught in Brethren schools.*

*Other than Special Religious Education (SRE) allowed in government schools for one hour every fortnight in certain state jurisdictions. During this time local elders will teach the students. National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

Areas Tested: 1. Reading 2. Persuasive/Narrative Writing 3. Spelling 4. Grammar and Punctuation 5. Numeracy

Results Publicly Available at: www.myschool.edu.au Find a school Glossary More information Contact us Search by school, suburb, town or postcode

Glenvale School, Yarrambat, VIC School profile

School finances Results in numbers NAPLAN The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses all students in Australian schools in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. For more information visit the NAPLAN website. Results in graphs The chart below displays averageFind NAPLAN a school scores for eachGlossary domain. The selected Moreschool's scores information are displayed in blue.Contact Also displayed usare average scores for statistically Search by school, suburb, town or postcode Results in numbers similar schools (SIM) and all Australian schools (ALL). The coloured bars indicate whether the selected school's scores are above, close to, or below the other scores. Results in bands 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Student gain Colour Scheme Red & Green Submit Alternate view: Results in graphs Similar schools Glenvale School, Yarrambat, VIC VET in schools ReadingSchool profile Persuasive Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy Local schools 476School finances 429 Results in numbers448 483 443 Student attendance 456 - 496 412 - 446 429 - 466 461 - 504 426 - 460 Year 3 The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses all students in Australian schools in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. For more information visit the SIM NAPLANALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM 421 418 403 402NAPLAN 410website. 412 427 426 404 412 - 431 Results in graphs395 - 411 402 - 419 417 - 437 396 - 413 539 491 The chart below526 displays average NAPLAN543 scores for each 523domain. The selected school's scores are displayed in blue. Also displayed are average scores for statistically 524 - Results555 in numbers476 - 506 similar schools511 (SIM) - 541 and all Australian525 - 560schools (ALL). The509 coloured - 537 bars indicate whether the selected school's scores are above, close to, or below the other scores. Year 5 SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM Results in bands 503 501 468 468 2008495 4982009 504 2010504 2011488 2012 2013 2014 494 - 512 460 - 477 488 - 503 494 - 513 480 - 496 Student gain 576 548 565 NAPLAN Results 578 580 564 - 589 533 - 562 Colour Scheme552 - 578 Red & Green 564 - 592 Submit 567 - 592 Alternate view: Results in graphs Year 7 Similar schools SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM 545 VET 546in schools 511 512 541 545 543 543 544 538 - 552 503 - 520 534 - 549 Reading534 - 551 536Persuasive - 551 Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy 624Local schools 591 621 610 640 611 - 637 574 - 609 606 - 635 476 595 - 626 Left (Top): 628 - 429653 NAPLAN 448 483 443 Year 9 456 - 496 412 - 446 429 - 466 461 - 504 426 - 460 SIM StudentALL attendanceSIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL Sample. SIM 582 580 553 550 Year582 3 582 575 574 586 SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM 575 - 589 543 - 562 574 - 590 566 - 583 579(Year 3 – Reading – - 593 421 418 403 402 410 412 427 426 404 How to interpret this chart 412 - 431 395Glenvale School) - 411 402 - 419 417 - 437 396 - 413

SIM schools serving students from statistically similar backgrounds Selected school's average539 is 491 526 543 523 ALL Australian schools' average substantially above524 - 555 Left (Below): 476 - 506 Color- 511 - 541 525 - 560 509 - 537 Student population below reporting threshold Year 5 above SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM Year level not tested close to code 503 501 468 468 495 498 504 504 488 below substantially494 - below 512 460 - 477 488 - 503 494 - 513 480 - 496

average of schools serving576 students from statistically similar socio-548 565 578 580 educational backgrounds564 - (SIM589 box) 533 - 562 552 - 578 564 - 592 567 - 592 Year 7 average of all Australian schools (ALL box) SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM 545 546 511 512 541 545 543 543 544

Selected average 538 - 552 503 - 520 534 - 549 534 - 551 536 - 551 Margin of error at 90 per cent level of confidence 624 591 621 610 640 611 - 637 574 - 609 606 - 635 595 - 626 628 - 653 Colour shows if the selected school's Colour shows if the selected school's average is above or below statistically average is above or below the Year 9 SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM ALL SIM similar schools' average Australian schools' average 582 580 553 550 582 582 575 574 586

Average and margin of error at 90 Australian schools' average 575 - 589 543 - 562 574 - 590 566 - 583 579 - 593 per cent level of confidence for statistically similar schools How to interpret this chart Tell me more

SIM schools serving students from statistically similar backgrounds Selected school's average is Browser compatibility: in order to use My School you will need to use Internet Explorer 9 or above, or an alternateALL browser.Australian schools' average substantially above Student population below reporting threshold above © 2013 Copyright | Terms of use | Accessibility | Privacy Policy Year level not tested close to below substantially below

average of schools serving students from statistically similar socio- educational backgrounds (SIM box) average of all Australian schools (ALL box)

Selected average Margin of error at 90 per cent level of confidence

Colour shows if the selected school's Colour shows if the selected school's average is above or below statistically average is above or below the similar schools' average Australian schools' average

Average and margin of error at 90 Australian schools' average per cent level of confidence for statistically similar schools Tell me more

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© 2013 Copyright | Terms of use | Accessibility | Privacy Policy

VET Courses.

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1. TAFE (Technical and Further Education) Courses 2. Distance University education Funding Controversy.

“[Brethren schools represent] one-way church- state separation…where the church emphasizes its separation from the secular world as a key value, whilst ensuring the state foots many of the bills.”

Marion Maddox, Taking God to School: The end of Australia’s egalitarian education?, p. 86. Developments Under Howard

Below: – Prime Minister of Australia 1996-2007 Policy Changes (Australian Liberal Party)

1996 – “Restrictive” New Schools Policy scraped (making it easier for new schools to set up).

1997 – Brethren schools assessed as Category 12 (the highest level) under the ERI (Economic Resource Index) funding model.

2001 – Implementation of SES (Socio- Economic Status) funding model. Brethren received “funding maintenance” so that they did not loose any funding by transferring to new system (Brethren remain at this level today). The ‘Brethren Cult Controversy’

Below: Brethren-funding political lyer 2004.

For more details see: Doherty, Bernard. 2013. “The ‘Brethren Cult Controversy': Dissecting a Contemporary Australian ‘Social Problem'.” Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review 4:25–48.

Doherty, Bernard. 2012. “Quirky Neighbors or the Cult Next-Door? An Analysis of Public Perceptions of the Exclusive Brethren in Australia.” International Journal for the Study of New Religions 3:163–211. Mark Latham’s “Great Australian Schools” Funding Package

1. The ‘Hit List’ of Private Schools. 2. Great Australian Schools Policy:

• $2.4 billion AUD in funds for education; $1.9 billion earmarked for government schools.

• Redirection of $520 million from 67 elite non-government schools.

• Freezing of recurrent funding of 111 other elite non-government schools at 2004 levels and redirection of money to 2500 poorer Catholic and independent schools (i.e. other non-government Above: “The Infamous Handshake” - schools). Mark Latham (L) and John Howard (R). Opposition to Latham’s Education Policy. Below: Cardinal George Pell – Archbishop of Sydney Opposition.

“Nineteenth Century Class Warfare” - Michelle Green (Chief Executive of the Association of Independent Schools Victoria).

(Note: Pell went against other Catholic bishops and National Catholic Education Commission). Kevin Rudd on Brethren (2007) I believe this is an extremist cult and sect…I also believe that it breaks up families; I also believe that there are real problems with the provision of modern education to kids under their system where they, for example, are not given the full range of access to information technology.

Further Criticism.

Above: Nick Xenophon -Independent Senator and Above: Michael Bachelard “cult” critic. - Journalist and Brethren Above: Dr. John Kaye (Note: Xenophon has also Critic. (Note: Bachelard – NSW Greens MLC and attacked Scientology and the has since involved himself Brethren critic. Jehovah’s Witnesses). with the ACM in Australia). Rudd and Gillard Labor Governments (2007-2013)

- More funding for Brethren schools (and more controversy over this funding).

- Massive increases in public spending by Federal Government (related to GFC): Building the Education Revolution (BER), the Digital Education Revolution (DER).

- Development of compulsory National Curriculum (implemented 2015).

- Increased Transparency and Accountability: Founding of ACARA (2009).

- Increased funding for Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs.

- ‘Gonski Review’ (2010, inal report December 2011). Calling for “student-based” funding with loading rather than “sector-based” funding. A transfer away from “funding maintained” schools (like Brethren schools) without disadvantaging them economically.

- Australian Education Act 2013 (“Better Schools Plan”): shift to a “student centered” rather than “sector centered” funding, slow removal of “funding maintained” schools as not to disadvantage schools (Brethren are under this category). Conclusion

Brethren schools are controversial not because of their educational standards, which even critics admit are impressive, or for being socially divisive or harmful (for which little evidence exists), but because a combination of the group’s poor public image, past connections to conservative politics, and generous public funding has made them an ideal target in the politics of envy. The New “Folk Devils” of Australia’s School Wars? “Among the liberal enemies of the denominations Catholics were frequently singled out for special scorn because of their alleged superstition and rejection of scientiic or rationalist ideas. From the 1860s on, the role of Catholics in the dispute became even more central, Above: Michael Hogan – and explicit sectarianism was closer to the heart of Australian Historian and Australian politics than it Political Scientist. had ever been.”

Future Prospects

Below: Tony Abbott – Prime 2013- Minister of Australia (2013-

2013 – Abbott Coalition elected, education debate shifts to University- sector.

2017 – Gillard government Better Schools Plan expires with no further commitment to “Gonski Reforms.”

Mitigating Factors: 1. School Performance 2. Community Engagement 3. Accountability and Transparency under Better Schools Policy and National Curriculum 4. Slow liberalisation

Select Bibliography

Michael Bachelard, Behind the Exclusive Brethren (Melbourne: Scribe, 2008). – ‘Politics and the Exclusive Brethren’, in The Australian Book of Atheism ed. Warren Bonnett (Melbourne: Scribe, 2010), pp. 285-298. Stephen Bigger, ‘ ‘Exclusive’ Brethren: an educational dilemma’, Journal of Beliefs and Values, vol. 11, no. 1 (1990), pp. 13-15. Peter Brown & Julian Thomas (eds), A Win and a Prayer: Scenes from the 2004 Election (Sydney: UNSW Press, 2005). Jennifer Buckingham, The Rise of Religious Schools (Sydney: Centre for Independent Studies, CIS Policy Monograph 111, 2010). Jenny Chesters, ‘The Education Revolution’, in The Gillard Governments: Australian Commonwealth Administration 2010-2013 ed. Chris Aulich (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2014), pp. 141-157. Bernard Doherty, ‘The ‘Brethren Cult Controversy': Dissecting a Contemporary Australian ‘Social Problem’, Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review vol. 4, no. 1 (2013), pp. 25–48. – ‘Quirky Neighbors or the Cult Next-Door? An Analysis of Public Perceptions of the Exclusive Brethren in Australia’, International Journal for the Study of New Religions, vol. 3, no. 2 (2012), pp. 163–211. Tom Frame, Church and State: Australia’s Imaginary Wall (Sydney: UNSW Press, 2006). Marilyn Harrington, Australian Government funding for schools explained (Canberra: Department of Parliamentary Services, 2013). Michael Hogan, The Sectarian Strand: Religion in Australian History (Sydney: Penguin, 1987). Carole Kayrooz & Stephen Parker, ‘The education revolutionary road: paved with good intentions’, in The Rudd Government: Australian Commonwealth Administration 2007-2010 eds Chris Aulich & Mark Evans (Canberra: The Australian National University Press, 2010), pp. 161-179. Marion Maddox, God under Howard: The Rise of the Religious Right in Australian Politics (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2005). – ‘The Church, the State, and the Classroom: Questions Posed by an Overlooked Sector in Australia’s Education Market’, UNSW Law Journal, vol. 34, no. 1 (2011), pp. 300-315. – ‘Are religious schools socially inclusive or exclusive? An Australian conundrum’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, vol. 17, no. 2 (2011), pp. 170-186. –Taking God to School: The end of Australia’s egalitarian education? (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2014). Haydon Manning & Christopher Rootes, ‘The Tainted Triumph of the Greens: The Australian National Election of 9 October 2004’, Environmental Politics, vol. 14, no. 3 (2005), pp. 403-408. Hayden Manning & John Warhurst, ‘The Old and New Politics of Religion’, in Mortgage Nation: The 2004 Australian Election (Perth: API, 2005), pp. 263-270. Stephen Mutch, ‘Cultish Religious Sects and Politics: The Brethren v. Green Contest and Other Controversies Involving Minor Religious Sects Down Under’, Cultic Studies Review, vol. 6, no. 3 (2007), pp. 298-310. Anthony Potts, ‘Public and Private Schooling in Australia: Some Historical and Contemporary Considerations’, The Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 81, no. 3 (1999), pp. 242-245. John Warhurst,‘Religion and Politics in the Howard Decade’, Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 42, no. 1 (2007), pp. 19-32. Ian Wilkinson et al. A History of State Aid to Non-Government Schools in Australia (Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training, 2006).