The National Catholic Education Commission has reaffirmed strong and increasing public support for faith-based schools to employ staff who support their religious ethos.
This is contrary to claims made by the LGBTQ advocacy group, Just Equal, based on a 2024 YouGov Galaxy poll of 1500 Australians.
NCEC Executive Director Jacinta Collins said recent surveys commissioned by the NCEC show an increase in community support for the rights of faith-based schools.
A 2024 survey of a far more significant sample of 3000 parents – across government, Catholic, and independent sectors – found that 72 per cent believe that faith-based schools should be able to expect staff to uphold the values and ethos of their schools.
This marks an increase from a 2021 poll by Utting Research, which found that 63 per cent supported the same principle. For parents with children in Catholic schools, that figure increased to 82 per cent support.
“The research highlights that parents value the right of faith-based schools to build a community of faith by preferencing the employment of staff who support the school’s mission and values,” Ms Collins said.
“This is not about discriminating against individuals for their personal attributes, as asked in the YouGov Galaxy poll, it is about staff in all faith-based schools, not just Catholic schools, being able to teach and contribute to the religious worldview of the school.”
“Enrolments in Catholic schools and other faith-based schools continues to grow, reflecting support for school choice and the strong trust families place in the faith-based education,” Ms Collins said.
“Maintaining the authenticity of our mission is critical to the educational, pastoral and spiritual care we provide, and our schools must be able to continue to employ staff who support that mission.”
FULL STORY
Catholic education highlights growing public support for faith-based schooling (NCEC)
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