The federal government has responded to demands from principals of dozens of Anglican schools in Sydney not to change anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBT teachers from being excluded by religious schools.

The federal government will get the balance right in protecting freedom of religion and preventing LGBT teachers from being discriminated against by religious schools, the education minister, Dan Tehan, says.

The group of Anglican schools wrote to MPs claiming the shift would undermine their faith’s core values. “Until such time as religious freedom is codified in legislation, the exemptions should remain,” their open letter states.

The coalition vowed to protect LGBT students and teachers in religious schools after the findings of a review into religious freedom were leaked earlier this month, sparking furious debate about their rights.

Tehan said the message from the 34 Anglican principals is part of a “very important discussion” about competing rights.

“Obviously the UN declaration of human rights has freedom of religion as one of its core rights, but we also want to protect against sexual discrimination,” he told Sky News on Wednesday. Read more via the Guardian