Religion-based bullying is increasing in Australian schools. A new book and report urge school principals to value religious education programs to promote intercultural understanding.
Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Christian school students in Australia are experiencing increasing bullying and discrimination in locker rooms, playgrounds and classrooms, a new report suggests, with children who followed religions with outward symbols the being the most targeted.
Students reported being bullied for wearing a hijab or being subjected to Nazi salutes and highly offensive antisemitic slurs online or in graffiti. Antisemitic bullying also included throwing money on the ground and asking Jewish students to pick it up, the report called Exploring the Value of Special Religious Education in Australia found.
Commissioned by Better Balanced Futures, the report involved 58 interviews with students and their families, and teachers from all major faith groups over four years in Melbourne and Sydney, and is based on a book by Professor Emerita Suzanne Rutland, who served for many years as the Chair of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies in the School of Languages and Cultures, and honorary associate Professor Zehavit Gross from Bar-Ilan University in Israel. It also draws on research undertaken by the social research firm, McCrindle, in 2022.
The report urges the importance of Special Religious Education/Instruction (SRE/RI), known colloquially as scripture classes, to improve understanding and respect toward religious diversity and cultural practices.
Read the article from The University of Sydney.