Letter: Keep religion out of mayoral breakfast

Sept. 17, 2014, 7:30 a.m.

In these politically correct times in a secular society, how politically incorrect it is when a local government leader, under the name of her council leader's title, is able to get away with hosting a breakfast supposedly with ratepayers' money based on a religious platform

Inthese politically correct times in a secular society, how politically incorrect it is when a local government leader, under the name of her council leader's title, is able to get away with hosting a breakfast supposedly with ratepayers' money based on a religious platform.

Isn't government supposed to be devoid of any religious affiliation and with the recent High Court decision on school chaplaincy funding, an indication that state school chaplaincy should also be devoid of a religious affiliation?

In my days at school in Adelaide, we had school counsellors, so how unfortunate that we now have named them chaplains, with all the connotations of being faith-based.

All due respect to the visiting chief inspector, who I'm sure has provided much counselling to many wayward or traumatised individuals over his honourable career. For him to choose faith as his support mechanisim is a personal choice, but any counselling offered by state school chaplains should not be allowed to involve any indocrination to any religious belief system, no matter how subtle.

It seems fairly transparent that the support the mayor gives to the school chaplaincy program is based on a religious platform, not a secular counselling one. This is not the preside of government at any level.

Stephen Hintz,Wellington Point

Mayor responds

Mayor Karen Williams at this year's Mayoral Prayer Breakfast

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Letter: Keep religion out of mayoral breakfast