Today the Greens-led NSW Parliamentary Committee released a Report on Redeemer Baptist School. When tabling the Report, Committee Chair, Ms Abigail Boyd MLC, said she ignored all positive submissions to the Inquiry, dismissing them as “coerced”.
This prejudiced assumption about alleged coercion was made to justify ignoring the fact that her Committee received twice as many positive submissions about our School as negative ones.
A spokesperson for the Redeemer Baptist School said:
“Today a Greens-led inquiry made findings against an Independent School operated by suburban, conservative Christians. What a surprise.
“This pre-determined conclusion is made all the less shocking by the media commentary from the Chair which pre-empted this taxpayer-funded process.
“The Committee actively ignored all positive submissions about the School.
“The Committee actively only heard from a small number of former [school] community members who allege a negative experience and who have long running grievances.
“The Committee’s shutting down of voices contrary to their predetermined views while purporting to be the voice of others is unprecedented hypocrisy.
“We note the comments in the Report from the NSW Opposition which said it was concerned that the Committee was proposing sanctions before any investigation or regulatory finding has been made, and we agree that due process should be followed.
“The fact is that the appropriate regulators for looking into schools are the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and the Federal Education Department.
“The fact is that these bodies have both looked into Baptist Redeemer School before and have found no case to answer.
“The fact is that these bodies are both looking into the school again - which is appropriate and within their remit - and we are fully cooperating with these unbiased, professional processes.
“We would also cooperate with an inquiry from any other proper independent authority – be that Police, the ATO or the Office of the Children’s Guardian, but we will not work with a Committee led by a biased politician with an axe to grind and a profile to build.”
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