The principal of a Brisbane school that demanded families sign anti-gay and anti-trans enrolment contracts previously lobbied senators to allow employers “the right to discriminate” against homosexuals.
Citipointe Christian College principal Brian Mulheran, a Pentecostal pastor who has led the school for four years, does not hold teaching qualifications or registration, Guardian Australia can reveal.
While such qualifications are not required by principals in independent schools, a group of furious parents is now calling for Mulheran to be sacked over his attempt to introduce the contracts.
Mulheran released a statement on Thursday saying the school would withdraw demands that parents sign enrolment contracts that called homosexual acts “immoral” and “offensive to God”, and implied transgender students would not be recognised at the college.
Mulheran said the college “does not and will not” discriminate against students on the basis of sexuality or gender identity, but that it will continue to assert its “freedom” to maintain its Christian ethos and beliefs.
“It is central to our faith that being gay or transgender in no way diminishes a person’s humanity or dignity in God’s eyes.”
But parents and teachers who spoke to Guardian Australia on Thursday said the withdrawal of the contracts did not address their underlying concerns about the direction of the school.
Guardian Australia has learned that in 1996, Mulheran, then a pastor at the Christian Outreach Centre (which became Citipointe), gave evidence to a Senate hearing on sexuality discrimination.
In his evidence, recorded in Hansard, he said homosexuality was an “immoral act” and argued that business owners should be allowed to discriminate against gay people.
“We have children whom we love and care about, and we do not want to allow them to be taught wrong morals and be influenced by wrong moral behaviour,” he said.
“Our children should not have to bear the brunt because of legislation that forces an immoral situation. People who employ other people … should have the right to discriminate (against homosexuals).”
The Queensland College of Teachers has no record of Mulheran – who holds degrees in science and theology – in its database. Registration with the teachers’ college is a requirement for all Queensland classroom teachers in state and non-state schools.
Most principals also have teaching experience, training and accreditation – though it is not a legal requirement for principals of independent schools.
In a statement, a group of 23 parents has called on Mulheran and the school board to resign.
“We are still deeply concerned that those responsible for the catastrophe that has unfolded this week, the principal Brian Mulheran and the governing board members, remain in their positions,” a statement from the group said.
“We hold that, by any reasonable standards of leadership and governance, Pastor Brian Mulheran is totally unfit to fulfil the duties required by his post.”
Matilda Alexander from the LGBTI legal service said that despite the withdrawal of the contact, she had no confidence that LGBTI students would feel safe, or be safe, attending the school.
She said the actions of the school showed exactly what could happen if the federal parliament passed a proposed religious freedom bill.
Corrine McMillan, the local state MP for Mansfield, and a former state school principal, said families in the community “would absolutely expect that the school they send their child to is led by experienced and qualified educators”.
“We have 19 schools in the Mansfield electorate. We don’t have cane farms or iron ore mines – what we produce is education,” McMillan said.
“Just as very few people would trust an unqualified surgeon to operate on them, there aren’t many parents who would knowingly entrust their child’s education to anyone but a professional, qualified educator.”
The Queensland education minister, Grace Grace, welcomed the withdrawal of the enrolment contract.
“Comparing homosexuality to things like bestiality, paedophilia and incest is nothing short of abhorrent. In the interests of the mental health of students, staff, carers, parents, and indeed anyone impacted by this, I hope they abandon it completely and nothing like it ever surfaces again.”
Mulheran did not respond to multiple calls and emails seeking comment.
