There's been a lot of controversy this week about an Ethics Course to be trialled in NSW Schools, at the same time as scripture or SRE (Special Religious Education) classes are offered. A number of Christian leaders and organisations have opposed the Ethics trial, including the Australia Christian Lobby; Some are worried that it might even be the beginning of religion being moved out of public schools altogether.

Simon Longstaff, head of the St James Ethics Centre which has helped develop the Ethics course, spoke to us on Open House about the course and answered some of the criticisms.

Annemaree Whenman, chair of ICCOREIS: "Inter-Church Commission On Religious Education In Schools", the peak body overseeing Scripture in NSW schools, also spoke to us and shared her concerns about the program.

TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS

• If you're a parent who has kids in state schools, do you send them to the SRE classes?

• What do you feel about the idea of the proposed ethics classes? Will you continue to send your children to SRE or will you give them the choice?

• While this trial is just in NSW, I'd love to hear from parents in other states as well.. how would you feel about this sort of thing being offered in your school?

• Maybe you think the idea of ethics is a great thing. Even if a child is not hearing the gospel in an ethics class, at least they will be encouraged to grapple with philosophies of ethics and decision making, maybe you feel that's a really great idea that will actually make a positive difference - rather than those kids just colouring in for half an hour every week.

• If you're a scripture teacher yourself - do you feel that the ethics class idea is a fair alternative for those kids who don't have a religion?

• I'd love to hear from you you're a pimary teacher or school principal in the state system. What's your view? Will the ethics classes make things fairer, and will it help you with supervision problems during SRE time?