A school in Australia has caused controversy after it asked its students whether homosexuality is ‘the sickest sin’ in a home assignment.
The homework given to 14 and 15-year-olds at Armadale Christian College also describes, ‘coming out of the closet’ as ‘open sinning,’ Perth Now reported.
Inquiries by the Sunday Times have prompted Education Minister Liz Constable to order Department of Education Services staff to go to the school to ensure it was ‘satisfying registration requirements’.
A question in the assignment given to students in June asked: “Is homosexuality the sickest sin there is?”
Later a question asked what God said about homosexuality and pointed to Bible quotes for the answer, which called it an ‘abomination’.
Dani Wright, co-ordinator of youth support service Freedom Centre, said discrimination through such teaching could lead to mental health issues and even suicide.
She said blanket policies were needed about homophobia in schools because, while the WA Equal Opportunity Act did not allow sexual-orientation discrimination, there were ‘loopholes’ for religious institutions.
One student’s relative, James Notman, said such ‘extremist’ teachings could 'seriously damage the mental well-being' of some children at a time of life when questions of sexuality were of huge importance.
Meanwhile, Stephen Lee, chief executive officer of Swan Christian Education Association, which encompasses the Armadale School, said his association would ‘review the use of this material’ and material used at other SCEA schools following questions from The Sunday Times.
He said the assignment was used to ‘facilitate discussion on Christian views’ as part of a lesson within the WA Curriculum Council course Religion and Life.