NEWCASTLE East Public families have asked the Department of Education to appoint a new special religious education provider to the school, following a disagreement with the current provider over the school's request for it to stay away.
School council president Lisa Piefke said the school executive, staff and family representative bodies had agreed the school would enforce a COVID-safe bubble and request all families, external visitors and community providers, including those offering extra curricular activities, stay off-site.
She said the ethics classes provider had agreed.
The state government has allowed resumption of these activities from June 15 and July 20.
The out-of-school-hours care service remains open, but even the canteen is closed.
Principal Mick McCann told families last Thursday that despite expressing the school's wishes to Newcastle SRE Board president Alex Dey, the board would be "pushing forward with these lessons" and on site last Friday.
"Under the Education Act, SRE have the right to offer and attend the school to provide SRE instruction for those families who have indicated they wish to do this lesson," he wrote.
"I have again today, expressed my strong opposition to this decision, especially in light [of] the increase of confirmed COVID cases and the close contact tracing currently being undertaken in our area.
"This again has been ignored by Newcastle City SRE Board.
"I believe that I have done all I can to keep our NEPS bubble safe, but this decision is out of my hands at this point in time."
Ms Piefke said she and several families wrote to Mr Dey last Thursday about their concerns and were told the board was doing what it was "entitled to under current state legislation and policy".
"We've all forfeited our rights to do things in these circumstances and we were asking him to do the same thing," she said.
"We've lost faith in their ability to consult with the school and respect the school's wishes... we'd prefer another provider who is happy to have a conversation with the school about what they think is right at the time."
Mr Dey told Ms Piefke last Friday in an email seen by the Herald the board "will not have a representative in the school today, or for some time".
He told the Herald it didn't send the man aged in his 70s because he and around 40 children would be in the covered outdoor learning area while it was raining.
Mr Dey said the man had a medical certificate, the board had risk management plans in place and visiting the nine schools it had agreements with was "a risk we're happy to take".
He said "if the department changes policy... we'll be the first out" and the school's decision not to allow groups, including the board, on-site was "not their call".
He said the board preferred to deliver lessons in person, not online, and that sending resources to teachers to deliver wasn't suitable, because "they have not got the enthusiasm or conviction a lot of us have got".
He said he'd meet with Mr McCann on Monday to discuss the resumption of lessons by week six.
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