The Wire

Students who choose not to learn scripture will soon be able to attend ethics classes instead, under a new system for public primary schools in New South Wales. These lessons were designed by the St James Ethics Centre and guide children to approach life in a moral way. The state government has approved plans to roll out the scheme next year, following the success of a trial involving ten schools. But some church groups feel threatened by this move, viewing it as a step closer to the removal of religious education from public life.