Queensland Education Minister backs Cardinal Pell: 'Secular Experiment Failed'

Geoff Wilson tells visitors to his electorate web site that he is a keen member of his local Church. The acting Director-General tells visitors to her EQ web site that she is from a "good Catholic family". Years ago, and not many years ago really, this information would be considered to be private and irrelevant for others to know. Today, particularly in the area of public education, it helps to explain why EQ can see no harm with promoting Christianity above all other religions, or none, and why, from the Minister down to the classroom teacher in Prep who ignores EQ policy and force- feeds Noah's Ark tales as truths, there is a complete breakdown of rational, secular, thinking.

The ASL attended a conference on the future of education where the guest speaker was Geoffrey Robertson, QC Robertson constantly referred to the beneficial secular nature of Australian public education, and how that had contributed to our national view of democracy. At speech-end the ASL asked Robertson if he was aware that the Queensland public system had not been secular since a 1910 referendum to introduce Bible lessons and RI, and what did he think about that? After many qualifications and allowing for genuine religious education of a comparative nature, Robertson declared that Education Queensland was "outdated"in wedging itself into supporting any particular religion.

Recently, the Minister responded to the ASL. The usual EQ letter, outlining all the policy school principals ignore, failing to mention anything about ID - Creationism in science - which EQ supports by the way, Bible lessons, Hillsong, unqualified Christian mentors, or much else we had discussed.

He did make a stand on one point, the nub of the problem really. Geoff Wilson informed the ASL that the government has no plans to reintroduce secular education to Queensland state schools.

Like Cardinal George Pell, Education Minister Geoff Wilson must believe that the "secular experiment"is over, and Queensland is, once again, at the cutting-edge of public education.

After all, why else would Queensland be called "the smart state"?