Thank you for your question, Abbie.

The proposed changes aim to balance the rights of students and staff with the ability of religious schools to maintain their values. Under these recommendations, religious schools would not be able to discriminate against students or staff based on attributes like sexual orientation, gender identity, or relationship status. However, schools would still be allowed to prefer hiring staff who share their religious beliefs if those beliefs are relevant to the role, and to require all staff to respect the school’s religious ethos.

This means religious schools can continue to teach and uphold their beliefs, but they must do so within a framework that respects the rights of all students and staff. The changes are designed to ensure that religious schools remain places where their values are practiced, while also protecting individuals from discrimination.