The principals of 34 Sydney Anglican diocese schools have written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison warning of an undermining of their faith's core values if the federal government bows to pressure and overhauls anti-discrimination laws to protect gay teachers.
"Until such time as religious freedom is codified in legislation, the exemptions should remain," the letter to all MPs says, also warning of profound unintended consequences if key exemptions are removed from the Sex Discrimination Act for faith-based educators, The Australian reports.
"By and large, across faith-based schools, the issue at hand is the right to employ staff who support the ethos of the school," the principals wrote, arguing that however clumsy current exemptions are, they are the only significant legal protections faith-based schools enjoy with regard to their core issues.
Among those signing the letter are the principals of King's School at Parramatta, Barker College and Abbotsleigh in the northern suburbs, Shore at North Sydney and Trinity Grammar School in the inner west.
