ASL Media Release December 3, 2009

SENATE MISLED.. TAXPAYERS CONNED.. 'WOW' SAYS MEL ON SUNRISE

Senator Brett Mason: “Given that 2,700 schools have school chaplains and over 97 per cent of those schools think that chaplains have had a positive influence on their school”

Tim Mander: “… ninety eight percent of school principals who have a school chaplain wanted this funding to continue”

ASL figures: “only 35.93 percent of state school principals expressing an ill-­defined ‘support’ for Christian school chaplains in secular public schools.”

ASL question to Professor Cox, ECU VC: “Can you explain what it is 98 percent of: all schools; all state schools; all state schools excluding NSW; all state school principal’s responses, which was only ever 42 percent of schools with NSCP chaplains? Is it really only 98 percent of 42 percent perhaps?”

Mandy Rice­Davies: “Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he?”

What is the real story behind the ‘98 percent of school principal’s support’ line concerning the NSCP tax­payer funding for school chaplains? Is someone prevaricating on this? Is it (past) time to ask some questions?

On 13 October, 2009, Charlotte Glennie, ABC Radio, interviewed Dr. Philip Hughes, one of the authors of the Edith Cowan University research, paid for by the employers of the taxpayer funded NSCP school chaplains http://www.socialsurvey.com.au/chaplaincyeffectiveness.pdf .

Dr. Hughes said his research found that “Ninety­ seven per cent of principals were really affirming of the contribution that the chaplains were making” (on p.6 of the Edith Cowan University ‘research’ the figure quoted is 98 percent, which highlights here, later, how few of all commentators have actually read it).

Glennie told listeners that Dr. Hughes was “surprised” at that outcome.

The ASL is also surprised, very surprised, given that this figure might be better described as a ‘factoid’, rather than the ‘fact’ it has been busily promoted as.

Countless media reports, and politicians, have blindly repeated this ‘factoid’, without ever stopping to check its veracity.

On 26 November, 2009, Senator Brett Mason moved beyond even the qualified Hughes ECU figures, when he asserted in the Senate, ‘Questions without Notice’, “Given that 2,700 schools have school chaplains and over 97 per cent of those schools think that chaplains have had a positive influence on their school…”.

Senator Kim Carr failed to correct him, ensuring the ‘97 per cent of 2700 schools’ became further entrenched as an unhelpful, and, frankly, untruthful, ‘factoid’ used to deceive, possibly inadvertently, the Australian tax­paying public, and parent/citizen supporters of Australia’s secular public schooling system, into thinking school chaplains were ‘without question’ welcomed everywhere in state schools.

On 27 November, 2009, on ‘Sunrise’, the television hosts David Koch and Melissa Doyle, interviewed Mr. Tim Mander, the Queensland Scripture Union CEO, and ex ­Senator Lyn Allison.

Mander attempted to refute Allison’s claim that many NSCP chaplains in state schools are not appropriately qualified for the wide range of tasks the Hughes ECU ‘research’ says they undertake.

Mander then used the ECU ‘98 percent’ figures as “the proof in the pudding”, saying, “Well, that’s simply not true, every state government requires minimum educational qualifications, … the proof is in the pudding, and recent research said that ninety eight percent of school principals who have a school chaplain wanted this funding to continue … and you can’t argue with those facts.”

The ASL knows that Queensland has no such education requirements. There is no argument there. A ‘Blue Card’ is not an ‘educational qualification’.

But the ASL does argue, vigorously, against the manner in which Dr. Hughes has expressed his ECU research‘98 percent’ findings, without apparently qualifying what it is ‘98 percent of’ that he refers to, and with Senator Mason and Mr. Tim Mander for also repeating, without ever qualifying, these ’98 percent’ figures.

The ASL has read the ECU ‘research’, and asked Professor Cox, the Vice Chancellor of ECU, to re­read it, as well as asking the ECU Research Committee to give it a ‘once over’ forensic examination. We await action, still.

These are the ASL readings of Dr. Hughes, Senator Brett Mason and Mr. Tim Mander’s use of the figures, taken directly from the ECU document.

Taking Senator Mason’s figures, 2712 schools, around Australia, have a NSCP funded school chaplain. Dr. Hughes’ research shows that only 688 principals responded to his survey, which provides an overall ‘principal support rate’ of 25.37 percent, not the ninety­ eight percent Senator Mason was trying to persuade his Senate colleagues was the truthful figure.

On p.11, Hughes confirms the full response from principals was 688 survey forms returned, or “42 percent” of the potential state schools with NSCP funded chaplains.

So, where do the ‘98 percent of school principals’ spring from? Is it actually 98 percent of the 688 returns, which would be 674 principals, making merely 24.85 percent on the Mason calculations of the 2712 total schools?

But in fairness to Hughes­-Mason-­Mander, that 2712 figure includes non-­state schools. Mason, clearly, had not adequately read the Hughes research before misleading the Senate.

State schools, with a NSCP funded school chaplain, number 1915. A ‘principal support rate’ on 1915 state schools shows only 35.93 percent of state school principals expressing an ill ­defined ‘support’ for Christian school chaplains in secular public schools. Was it 98 percent of 35.93 percent, gentlemen?

But New South Wales school principals did not participate, so nobody knows what they think, and Mr. Mander should not hint, as he appears to here, that NSW principals might be included in this figure “ninety eight percent of school principals who have a school chaplain…”. In fact, this claim is sounding very similar to the patently ‘not correct’ Senator Mason attempt to boost figures.

The best the Hughes­-Mason-­Mander team can claim, is that of the 1626 state schools where NSCP funded school chaplains are employed, excluding NSW, and with a mere 688 principals responding, there is a ‘principal support rate’ of 42.31 percent. So, was it 98 percent of 42.31 percent, gentlemen?

Anyway, to put that figure into perspective, 58 percent of principals did not support NSCP Christian chaplains in secular state schools. And using Senator Brett Mason’s 2700 figures, it seems that 75 percent of school principals did not support Christian school chaplains in schools, whether secular or faith based.

The ASL ran out of fingers, but even using our toes we discovered there was ‘a big difference’ between the Edith Cowan University figures that both “surprised” Dr. Hughes and provided “the proof in the pudding” for Mr. Tim Mander, and what we found.

The ASL is not sure whether Melissa Doyle is aware of the now infamous quote from Mandy Rice­Davies, but when faced with the ‘logic’ of Tim Mander’s argument of ‘ninety­ eight percent support’, she said, “Wow, well obviously that’s why the federal government’s continuing the programme until at least twenty eleven…”

So, if Ms. Gillard and Mr. Rudd, and Senator Carr, have been swayed by the “ninety ­eight percent” figure produced by Edith Cowan University ‘research’, and by Senator Mason and Mr. Tim Mander, and dozens of others, perhaps they should all now read the report, together, along with Mr. Koch and Ms. Doyle, and the wider news media, who have, to date, blithely reported without any questioning of it?

The ASL suggests more people, particularly Senator Carr and Minister Gillard, should consider adopting a ‘Mandy Rice-Davies’ analytical approach when first confronted with figures being used to justify continued government funding, in unproven areas, particularly when the ‘research’ is funded by the recipients of our generous tax­payer funding.

The ASL also suggests that the Vice Chancellor of Edith Cowan University might like to clarify, perhaps to the Senate, but certainly to the Australian public, precisely what is being referred to in the figure ’98 percent of school principals support’ mantra, that has come out of his university, and is constantly being promulgated across the nation, as an absolute, perhaps a ‘revealed’, ‘fact’.

‘98 percent’, yes, OK, but 98 percent of what, Professor Cox?

The ASL is “surprised” at the inability of university academics, politicians and vast tracts of the media to see that “the proof is in the pudding”. This research shows that 58 percent of state school principals could not be bothered to answer, and based on the words of Senator Mason and Tim Mander, that 75 percent of school principals with school chaplains do not support them. These figures do not justify any more ATO monies being spent undermining the secular public school system.

For further comment: Contact Hugh 0420 676 578