Discrimination?

Last week there was this thing in the papers about a Christian school which was being investigated by the Equal Opportunity Commission because it had refused offer a placement to a student teacher, Rachida Dahlal, because she was a Muslim [1]. Although this is obviously discrimination, my initial reaction was that it is entirely justified. How can you expect an organisation that aims to promote Christianity to employ those whose belief contradict Christianity?

At the moment I have mixed feelings on the issue, so I'll try and arrange my thoughts onto the two sides of the debate.

In defense of Heathdale Christian College
(1) There should be freedom to practise religion - since practise of the religion includes teaching in a religious framework, forcing the employment of people outside of this religion effectively prevents them from freely practising.
You wouldn't expect a Christian church to accept a Muslim as their minister, is this not much the same? The goal of the school is to create a Christian community, and this is undermined by have people with contrary beliefs in leadership positions.
(2) It is a private institution - unlike state schools, this private, Christian school should be under no obligation to cater for all children. As such, it should have freedom to basically teach whatever it wants to, but if it is expecting the education sector to recognise it would need to comply with curriculum.
It is also spending (primarily) its own money, not the public's, so it can spend it however it likes employing or not employing) whoever it sees fit. Surely we should have the freedom to spend our money as we choose (within certain limits). Although it doesn't sound nice, it seems right that a company is given freedom to employ people based on whatever factors it chooses, be these skill, experience, age, beliefs, or appearance [2]. While it is still passive discrimination, not offering someone a job can hardly be seen as criminal (I'll come back to this later).
(3) Respecting the student teacher's own beliefs - By employing Dahlal and expecting her to contribute to normal staff practises - including prayer devotion and Bible reading at morning staff briefing - they would be demanding she act against her own beliefs (assuming she holds to mainstream Islamic teaching). It is inappropriate that a condition of employment be that she deny her faith.
(4) The school is answerable to the parent's who may have chosen the school because it is explicitly Christian. Employing people who are openly non-Christians may be contrary to the image it presents.

In defense of the student teacher, Rachida Dahlal
(1) Teaching French and Math doesn't really involve religion, so it not unreasonable to expect that her presence would be of little or no detriment to the religious aspect of the school.
(2) In accepting the job she was also accepting the conditions of it. She was aware she would not be able to talk about her faith or against Christianity. Thus, she was agreeing to the school's beliefs in some sense, so the basis for refusing her employment was somewhat unjustified. Private people and institution's should not have freedom over their money when it reinforces inequality and discrimination. Recognising the dignity and equality of all people is a greater good than economic freedom.
(3) It is conceivable that any type of institution could call itself 'religious' and on that basis commit any kind of discrimination. For example, one could say that their religion necessitates that they only employ people of a particular race. If every institution did this it may end up that groups facing discrimination become second class citizens where they can't access any jobs or enter any private property etc.

I think that in this case I do sympathise with the school and I see their actions as justified. But, also, the law needs to protect the rights of all people by keeping discrimination in check. Basically, my first point is the one that I place most emphasis on - that there should be freedom to practise one's religion. There is only a small group of institution's that could be regarded as the practise of religion, and even those Mrs Dahlal's position was explicity religious in nature, the school as a whole can be seen as the practise of religion.

As an interesting aside, The Age quotes the principal of the Christian school as saying, "The way we practise our education is not just nominal, it's actually what parents want for their kids, and it would have been confusing for the kids. It's not that we have anything against her or her beliefs, we just felt it was an inappropriate placement". But surely if it was not just nominal then the principal actually believes in the what the Christian label suggests, in which case he really should have something against her beliefs, since they are in conflict with his own. So, it looks to me like he is basically lying to hide the fact that he really is discriminating against her, as a Muslim, or else really is nominal.


[1] To my great surprise this has actually made international news. It isn't like this is something new, is it?
[2] To be blatantly (and perhaps offensively) honest, stuff like Virgin Blue Airlines employment of only good looking girls as flight attendants seems quite reasonable since it benefits their company image.