Charting the Future of Religious Schools after the Ruddock Review by Understanding what came before

The Religious Freedom Review made six recommendations related to education. Making up just over a quarter of the review’s recommendations. Religion in education in Australia has had a turbulent history. In responding to these six recommendations policy makers, religious leaders and religious schools have much they can learn from Australia’ past. This paper places the religious Freedom review recommendations in their historical context. It highlights three lessons that can learned: The trap of self-interest and completion, the role of changing community attitudes to religion and shifting religious demographics and the role small changes have played in momentous shifts in education policy.