"Family First"? - not in science education
John Stear, December 2005
Updated 14 July 2009

At the Australian Federal elections in 2004, the Family First Party was successful in having a candidate, Steve Fielding, narrowly elected to the Senate. Given that some members of the party are members of the fundamentalist Assembly of God (AoG) church and Steve Fielding belongs to the equally fundamentalist CityLife church, I wondered what their views might be on education, particularly on the teaching of origins. On Family First's web site it states that -

Family First believes that education should provide a young person with a learning environment that fosters the holistic development of children and young people and builds strong foundations for adult life. Family First believes an environment that encourages pursuit of excellence in the intellectual, social, emotional and physical spheres, along with sound understanding of Australian heritage and culture will best fit our young people with life skills and competencies. [my emphasis]

No specific mention of science, surely a prerequisite if building "strong foundations for adult life" and encouraging a "pursuit of excellence in the intellectual ... spheres" that will "best fit our young people with life skills and competencies" is among their stated objectives. 

I have no doubt those at Family First are sincere in their concerns for Australian families in general terms.  It's in the area of education that gives me cause for some disquiet because of their aforementioned links to the AoG and the CityLife churches. With that in mind I decided to email the Family First Party and set out my concerns about the possible bias of a party with links to fundamentalist churches.  My initial email, their reply and my subsequent reply are below -

From: John Stear [mailto:stear@austarnet.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 2 May 2005 5:11 PM
To: admin@familyfirst.org.au
Subject: Science Teaching

Dear Family First Party

I've been reading the details of your education policy on your web site but could find no specific mention of science teaching.  Given that your party is identified with the Assembly of God church and adheres to that church's inerrant view of the Bible, I'm curious about how you would apply this principle to the teaching of evolutionary science in Christian schools.  Do you support the creationist view, espoused by such organisations as "Answers in Genesis" (see  http://www.answersingenesis.org/), who insist that the creation of the Universe, the Earth and all its creatures, occurred during the six, twenty four hour day creation week as set out in the Book of Genesis, and that the fossil and geological records were laid down by the Noachian flood some five to ten thousand years ago? 

If so, do you agree with "Answers in Genesis" that the creation (Genesis) theory be taught as a bona fide alternative to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in religious and public schools and universities? 

Sincerely

John Stear

From: Dennis Hood [mailto:dennis.hood@familyfirst.org.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 10 May 2005 4:11 PM
To: stear@austarnet.com.au
Subject: RE: Science Teaching

Dear John,

Thank you for your note below.

As Family First is a party which is focused on family values we do not have an official position on origins.

Put simply, we do not wish to be engaged in discussions outside our core areas of family values.

I trust this clarifies the matter for you.

Kind regards,

Dennis.

Dennis Hood

Federal Director

Family First.

John Stear [stear@austarnet.com.au]
Tue 10/05/2005 5:39 PM

Dennis

Thank you for your response.  I don't wish to engage you in a protracted argument about origins but I'm sure that your party has an official position on education.  What I really want to know is what your party's response would be should, for instance, a proposal be raised in the Senate to force all religious schools to teach science in accordance with the Commonwealth's accepted science syllabus (and I'm not aware of any such proposal). 

I do know that many religious schools are not compelled to follow the accepted science syllabus but teach the biblical account of creation in junior school and, I venture to say, beyond that, until the child is ready to go on to university or college.  But what happens to those children when they do move to higher education and encounter, for instance, biology and geology taught from an evolutionary perspective?  Confusion in science (or any other subject) can only be detrimental to a child's ability to learn and function in a highly technically oriented environment.

Surely, the proper education of all children should be an issue to be addressed by a party espousing family values.

Sincerely

John Stear

No further response was received from Dennis Hood.

As I mentioned earlier, Senator Fielding belongs to the equally fundamentalist CityLife Church so nothing ventured nothing gained, I emailed them also. 

Note:    CityLife Church was formerly "Waverley Christian Fellowship" and their Christian school is "Waverley Christian College".

From: John Stear [mailto:stear@austarnet.com.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 9 August 2005 4:04 PM
To: CityLife Mail
Subject: Origins

Dear CityLife Church

I read on your web site that part of your "Vision 2010" [http://www.citylifechurch.com/info/vision2010.htm] is to "[educate] one thousand students annually in our Christian school and… to present a Christian influence to the students of every primary and secondary state school in our region".

In your "Statement of Faith" [http://www.citylifechurch.com/info/statementoffaith.htm] you say "We believe that the Bible is God's unique revelation and that every word was supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit as it was being written down by various human authors". 

Given that you are clearly a fundamentalist church and believe the Bible to be inerrant, I would be interested to learn of your policy related to the teaching of origins (creation or evolution) in your Christian schools as well as primary and secondary state schools.

Sincerely

John Stear

Dear John

 

Thanks for your email below. 

 

Our Christian school, Waverley Christian College, is an important part of the Church and its ministries.  It has a strong record of academic achievement, whilst also providing a caring and supportive Christian environment for the students.  Creationism is taught at the College, whilst Evolution is also noted as a theory.  Given that it is a Christian school with our belief system based on the Bible, it is natural that we would teach origins based on Creation. [my emphasis]

 

In addition to our our own school, we have a presence in a number of state schools within Knox.  This presence is focussed on providing positive influences and life skills to students in these schools, though various lunchtime programs and chaplaincy roles.  The feedback from teaching staff and management at these schools has been very positive.  Our presence in the state schools is not focussed on teaching origins, although if students asked for an opinion on these matters our staff and volunteers are generally willing to provide their personal views.  In addition, a number of our church members teach CRE [Christian Religious Education] in state schools within Knox, and they utilise the curriculum provided by CCES [Council for Christian Education in Schools] - on matters of creation, they will note that "I believe this..." or "the Bible states this...".  Our aim is not try to influence their views on creation vs evolution, but to show them the love of God and that they are valued.

 

Kind Regards

Brett Simpson
Business Manager
CityLife Church - Knox (formerly Waverley Christian Fellowship)
brett.simpson@citylifechurch.com

I also emailed Senator Fielding:

From: John Stear [mailto:stear@austarnet.com.au]
Sent: Wed 24/08/2005 3:26 PM
To: 'senator.fielding@aph.gov.au'
Subject: Education Policies
 

Dear Senator Fielding

 

First let me congratulate you on your election to the Senate.

 

On 2 May I emailed Family First's web site enquiring about the teaching of origins in schools. 

 

Briefly, I said that because the Family First Party was identified with the Assembly of God church and no doubt adheres to that church's inerrant view of the Bible, I was concerned that Family First would support the teaching of the creationist view of origins as espoused by such organisations as "Answers in Genesis" (see  http://www.answersingenesis.org/).

I received a response on 10 May from your Federal Director Dennis Hood to the effect that because Family First is focused on family values and doesn't have an official position on origins they didn't wish to be "engaged in discussions outside our core areas of family values".

 

I found this statement rather extraordinary.  On your party's web site it states – 

"Family First believes that education should provide a young person with a learning environment that fosters the holistic development of children and young people and builds strong foundations for adult life. Family First believes an environment that encourages pursuit of excellence in the intellectual, social, emotional and physical spheres… will best fit our young people with life skills and competencies." [my emphasis]

Given that your party recognises the importance of "strong foundations for adult life" and encourages intellectual excellence, does it not behove your party to ensure that children do indeed receive an education that embodies those principles, thus equipping them to make their way in this technological society with the requisite "life skills and competencies"?

I trust you will agree that the proper education of all children should be of the utmost importance to a party espousing family values.

Sincerely

John Stear

On Monday 26 September 2005 I again emailed Senator Fielding.

From: John Stear [stear@austarnet.com.au]
Sent: Mon 26/09/2005 12:13 PM

To: senator.fielding@aph.gov.au

Subject: Education Policies
 

Dear Senator Fielding

 

On 24 August I emailed you concerning the education policies of the Family First Party, in particular, how your party's views on the teaching of origins appear to be at odds with their concern for the family.

 

Since you haven't replied to my email, can I assume that the views of you and your party on the teaching of origins is as espoused by your Federal Director Dennis Hood when he, in effect, stated that proper science education for children is not a part of your "core areas of family values"?

 

Sincerely

 

John Stear

On 8 November 2005, in an effort to elicit a response from Senator Fielding, I decided to write to him.

 

Senator Steve Fielding

PO Box 500
Box Hill VIC 3128

 

Dear Senator Fielding

 

I emailed you on 24 August 2005 and again on 26 September voicing my concerns about Family First's education policies in regard to the teaching of origins. 

 

First Email         

Dear Senator Fielding

First let me congratulate you on your election to the Senate.

 

On 2 May I emailed Family First's web site enquiring about the teaching of origins in schools. 

 

Briefly, I said that because the Family First Party was identified with the Assembly of God church and no doubt adheres to that church's inerrant view of the Bible, I was concerned that Family First would support the teaching of the creationist view of origins as espoused by such organisations as "Answers in Genesis" (see  http://www.answersingenesis.org/).

I received a response on 10 May from your Federal Director Dennis Hood to the effect that because Family First is focused on family values and doesn't have an official position on origins they didn't wish to be "engaged in discussions outside our core areas of family values".

 

I found this statement rather extraordinary.  On your party's web site it states – 

"Family First believes that education should provide a young person with a learning environment that fosters the holistic development of children and young people and builds strong foundations for adult life. Family First believes an environment that encourages pursuit of excellence in the intellectual, social, emotional and physical spheres… will best fit our young people with life skills and competencies." [my emphasis]

Given that your party recognises the importance of "strong foundations for adult life" and encourages intellectual excellence, does it not behove your party to ensure that children do indeed receive an education that embodies those principles, thus equipping them to make their way in this technological society with the requisite "life skills and competencies"?

I trust you will agree that the proper education of all children should be of the utmost importance to a party espousing family values.

Second Email         

Dear Senator Fielding

On 24 August I emailed you concerning the education policies of the Family First Party, in particular, how your party's views on the teaching of origins appear to be at odds with their concern for the family.

 

Since you haven't replied to my email, can I assume that the views of you and your party on the teaching of origins is as espoused by your Federal Director Dennis Hood when he, in effect, stated that proper science education for children is not a part of your "core areas of family values"?

 

I would have thought that common courtesy would ensure that I received at least an acknowledgement of your receipt of these emails.

 

I trust you will acknowledge receipt of this letter.

 

Sincerely

 

[signed]
 

(John Stear)

I first contacted Senator Fielding on 24 August 2005.  As of 14 July 2009 Senator Fielding has not responded to my two emails or my letter. 

It's been my experience that political parties and individuals who espouse "family values" rely on an extremely narrow and moralistic view of those two words. I'm inclined to believe that the Christian aspect of a child's education is paramount and in the case of the Family First Party, the quality of that education is only assessed by reference to Christian ideology and creationist dogma.

Should Senator Fielding respond to any of my correspondence I'll be more than happy to acknowledge that response on this page.