College backdown underscores perils of proposed discrimination bill

Just when the incendiary debate over federal Religious Discrimination Bill seemed to have been pushed into the background by the pandemic and its attendant mismanagement, a Queensland school rammed it back to national prominence.

Citipointe Christian College was today forced to withdraw an (ahem) controversial enrolment contract sent to parents last week, after over 154,000 enraged citizens signed a petition condemning it, and the school’s $13 million in government funding was brought into question.

The contract demanded parents endorse a declaration of faith which proceeded as follows:

“We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including but not limiting to adultery, fornication, homosexual acts, bisexual acts, bestiality, incest, paedophilia and pornography) is sinful and offensive to God and is destructive to human relationships and society,” it read.

It also stressed “God created human beings as male and female” and made repeated references to “biological” men and women.

The IEU’s petition is prominent on our homepage.

Rodney Croome, a board member of queer rights organisation Just.Equal and former Tasmanian of the Year, told The New Daily the language used by the school appeared to be influenced by the government’s proposed Religious Discrimination Bill.

“It has such a wide definition of what discrimination is, that it will enable independent and faith-based schools to discriminate against LGBTIQ+ kids under the cover of their religious beliefs,” he said.

“It is all in anticipation of the Religious Discrimination Bill. If it wasn’t, then the Citipointe Christian College would have framed the discrimination in traditional terms.

“A contract like that and the attitudes it represents would be devastating to many queer kids.”

The school insisted it does not discriminate against queer students – because it hadn’t “expelled or refused to enrol any students on the basis that they’re gay or transgender” – and stood by its contract, releasing a six-minute video in its defence.

It didn’t seem fazed by ex-student Bethany Lau’s change.org petition, signed by 155,820 Australians in five days, and a proposed protest on Friday, but backed down after the Qld state government, the Human Rights Commission and the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board took a close interest.

The board, which ensures all schools meet the criteria required for state funding, was to consider whether the college was in breach of a requirement that students be treated equally, the Brisbane Times reported.

Nine reported that the outrageous ‘contract’ had prompted moderate Liberal MPs to “renew their push for fast-tracked protections for LGBTQ+ school students” when Parliament returns next week.

“Concerns continued to be raised over Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s proposed Religious Discrimination Bill, which experts say could have the ability to override state anti-discrimination laws in favour of the college, or other schools, that ask for requirements based on religious beliefs,” Nine reported.

This morning, Citipointe principal Brian Mulheran wrote to the school's parents confirming the contract had been withdrawn "at this time". 

Ms Grace today welcomed the backflip, but had a suggestion. 

"Can I urge that, in the interests of the mental welfare of staff, parents and carers and in the public interest, that they abandon these contracts and that they never resurface again," she said. 

The Independent Education Union of Australia opposes Scott Morrison's proposed Religious Discrimination Bill, and has launched a petition calling on all federal politicians to block this “dangerous and divisive” legislation.

“The vast majority of our 75,000 members work in faith-based schools right across Australia. These workers deserve to be protected from discrimination and to be treated based on merit, not on irrelevant factors such as marital or parental status, sexual orientation or identity or religious activity.”