Sunday, May 22, 2005
Reduced Majority of Australians Favour Teaching Religion in Government Schools
Australians are overwhelmingly in favour of teaching religion in Government schools, but the trend is down, according to the Roy Morgan Research Single Source Survey.
In the March 2005 quarter, when asked, “Do you think religion should — or should not be taught once a week in Government schools?”, the majority of those surveyed (62%) said religion “should” be taught, while only 30% said religion “should not” be taught in Government schools. Eight percent were undecided on the issue. Although still a high majority, the number of Australians who think religion should be taught in Government schools (62%) has fallen 4% since the March 2000 quarter when 66% of Australians were in favour. Over this five year period the fall in support is evident across all age groups and in both country areas and capital cities.
Detailed analysis by population subgroups over the period January to March 2005, shows some interesting differences. The Baptists were most in favour of religion being taught in Government schools (88%), followed by respondents from the Uniting church (77%). Respondents from the Methodist (76%), Anglican (71%) and Presbyterian (70%) churches were also resoundingly in favour of religion being taught in Government schools. Interestingly Catholics (69%) were marginally less likely to think that religion should be taught in Government schools. Other Christian Groups (75%) were also in favour of religion being taught in Government schools. A smaller majority of Other Religions (56%), including Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist, also believed that religion should be taught in Government schools.
Of those Australians who said they have no religion, 35% said religion should be taught in Government schools, with 56% saying religion should not be taught, and 9% undecided.
Respondents who are the parents or guardians of children under 16 living in their household (63%) were more likely to say they think religion should be taught in schools than those who are not the parents of guardians of children under 16 living in their household (55%).
Women (66%) were more inclined to say that religion should be taught in schools than were men (57%), and were less likely to say that religion should not be taught in schools (women — 26% cf men — 35%). Eight percent of both men and women were undecided on the issue.
The 50+ age group was most likely to say that religion should be taught in schools, with 72%, whilst the 18-24 age group was the least likely (50%). Interestingly the 14-17 age group (51%) was slightly more inclined than the 18-24 age group to believe that religion should be taught in schools. The 25-34 (53%) and 35-49 (62%) age groups were also in favour of religion being taught in Government schools.
Analysed by education level, those with a lower level of education were most likely to say religious education should be taught in Government schools. Those respondents with primary education only (should — 77% cf should not — 17%), were the most likely to say that religion should be taught in schools. Following in descending order were respondents who had completed Year 10 (67%), those with some Secondary/Tech (65%) and Year 11/Year 12 (60%). Tertiary educated respondents, including those who are currently studying at university, were least likely to say religion should be taught in Government schools (58%).
Analysis by voting intention shows a majority of supporters of all parties except the Greens and the Australian Democrats favour the teaching of religion in Government schools. Of electors who support the L-NP, 69% say religion should be taught in Government schools, as do 60% of ALP supporters, 59% of One Nation supporters and 62% of Independent Candidate and Other Party supporters. Greens (46%) and Australian Democrats supporters (44%) had the lowest level of support for the notion that religion should be taught in schools.
Queenslanders were most likely to say religion should be taught in Government schools, with 67%. Respondents from New South Wales (65%) were also in favour of the notion. South Australians (60%), Tasmanians (59%) and Victorians (57%) were marginally less likely to be in favour of teaching religion in Governments schools. Western Australians were the least likely to say that religion should be taught in Government schools, with 55%.
There was only a small difference between respondents from the capital cities and those from country areas with regard to whether religion should (country — 63% cf city — 61%) or should not (city — 31% cf country — 29%) be taught in schools.
These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan Single Source, 2005 which interviewed 14,632 Australians aged 14 and over from January to March, 2005.
For further information:
Michele Levine Office: 03 9224 5215 Mobile : 0 411 129 093 Home: (03) 9817 3066
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