Public schools allowing Christian sex ed

The Greens say the New South Wales Government needs to better control which groups have access to public school classrooms.

It has emerged that a Christian church-backed program is being taught as part of regular curriculum in some NSW schools.

The Choices of Life program, devised by the Presbyterian and Baptist churches, has been taught in human sexuality classes in at least three state primary schools and some high schools.

Greens MP John Kaye says the program pushes an anti-abortion and pro-abstinence message, and it is disturbing that it has been allowed into classrooms.

"It's indoctrination of students, it runs counter to the demands of the Education Act that public schools instruction be strictly non-sectarian and secular," he said.

"It also runs counter to the more than 80 per cent of Australians who oppose any restrictions on the rights of women to have abortion."

Mr Kayes says the anti-abortion, pro-abstinence message goes against the Education Act, which demands that public school instruction be secular.

"The Iemma Government has lost control of who gets access to public school class rooms," he said.

"Earlier this week, we had the Hillsong Church with its Shine program running in 20 public schools. Now we've got the Choice of Life organisation.

"There needs to be far better regulation to stop groups getting access to public school classes when they haven't been appropriately vetted."

The Department of Education and Training says it will review the use of the Choices of Life program.

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Hundreds leave school very early

Tasmania has the second highest rate of children leaving school before year eight.

Figures show that Tasmania's problem with school retention starts much younger than many realise.

A new program is being trialed in the state's midlands to try to stop children leaving school before year 8.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that six per cent of Tasmanian children leave school before year 8, which equates to about 25 children per high school.

That is higher than the national average of three per cent and better only than the Northern Territory.

The not-for-profit organisation Beacon Foundation is trialing a program at Campbell Town District High School.

The program encourages children in year 6 to have the confidence to continue on to high school.

If it is successful, Beacon plans to roll out the program to other states.

School drug leaflet 'not anti-education'

Drug leaflet: Advises young people on the use of drugs like ecstasy. (Get Image)

The Sydney West Area Health Service has denied a leaflet it has published encourages young people to take drugs.

The controversial leaflet is titled "Choosing to use but wanna keep your head together", and advises teenagers on what to do if they choose to take substances like ecstasy and cannabis.

It is being distributed at schools and community facilities, and includes advice for students to wait until they turn 18 before experimenting with drugs, and then to "use only small amounts and not too often".

The director of drug and alcohol services, Kevin Hedge, says the leaflet does not encourage young people to take drugs.

Mr Hedge says the leaflet clearly states that there is no safe drug use, but its advice is based on the realistic view that most young people experiment.

"Our materials were designed originally to be distributed amongst agencies that deal with marginalised young people, homeless young people and people at high risk of drug use," he said.

"From that perspective, the materials are a genuine public health approach to preventing harm."

But Jo Baxter from Drug Free Australia says the leaflet will confuse young people who are looking for guidance from drug use specialists.

"They want to know whether or not these drugs are going to harm them," she said.

"A message like that gives a sort of unintended message that they would condone the use and there is such a thing as safe use, when in actual fact we don't believe there is a safe use of illicit drugs."

Education 'necessary'

Tony Trimmingham lost his son to a heroin overdose 11 years ago and has since founded Family Drug Support.

He supports the leaflet and says people have to be realistic about the common use of drugs and alcohol in society.

"They grow up in a world where drugs are prevalent and every single person in Sydney, and in fact the whole of Australia, will in some point encounter drugs and will be faced with the dilemma of whether to use or not," he said.

"We can't evade that and I believe they do need education on how to deal with those occurrences."

Quote: There is a safe use of illicit drugs with the only difference being that they are illegal by state law. That does not mean that they cannot be experimented and used safely or safer. Under the headings of Moderation, Balance, Limit and Lethal all indulgence must be understood. Why? Because it is there...



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101 charges over school rampage

Five teenage boys face 101 charges over a rampage at a western Sydney school yesterday that left a teacher in hospital and 17 children injured.

It is alleged the boys, aged 14 to 16, entered Merrylands High School waving bats, a machete and a sword while the school was in assembly just before 9:00am (AEST).

The schoolchildren ran to their classrooms for emergency lockdown, where they hid while the group allegedly ran through the corridors smashing windows.

Most of the injuries were cuts from broken glass but a teacher went to hospital after a blow to the back of his head.

The boys - two aged 14, two 15 years old and one aged 16 - were arrested at the school.

They have been refused bail and will face Parramatta Children's Court today for offences including affray, assault and malicious damage.