Currently the Australian Government has committed $243.8 million over four years from 2014-15 to 2017-18 to 'assist' approximately 2900 schools engage the services of a school chaplain. Consistent with the Government’s election commitment the new National School Chaplaincy Programme (NSCP) will focus on the delivery of pastoral care through school chaplains.

I feel like this is completely unacceptable in modern Australia. Religion has no place in public schools and I would like to see this money be used instead to hire a qualified childhood counsellor who is not pushing some sort of backdoor religious agenda onto the children.

My 7 year old daughter is being excluded from lunchtime activities because we have asked that no religion be forced onto her. She is not able to participate in games and awards for being kind at assembly, as well as many other activities because they are run by the school chaplain. This is a Public Independent School. Not a Private or Religious school.

I would like to see all chaplains replaced with qualified childhood counsellors who specialise in childhood development instead of having biased, untrained, and Religious individuals in charge of such matters.  

Public funds should NOT be used to further the reach of any religion into our classrooms. They should be for the further development and education of ALL CHILDREN.