Tanya Jacob, the South Island representative of the of the Secular Education Network (SEN), said there are "really quite serious concerns, even concerns about potential for grooming, keeping secrets with children that they're not allowed to go home and tell their parents".

Asked is it scaremongering to use the word grooming, she said: "I think it's accurate, whether it's religious grooming or potential for other sorts of grooming."

CEC teaches in around 600 schools and says its lessons focus on Bible stories and teaching life values.

A spokeswoman, Abbey Reeve, said Jacob's statement was "really inflaming stuff that parents would be very scared about. But it's not true, there is none of this keeping of secrets, there's none of this hiding stuff".

Another spokeswoman for CEC, Tracey Kirkley, said SEN's claims were "not at all consistent" with current Religious Education programmes. The content they were protesting about stopped being taught in New Zealand schools some eight years ago.

Three members of SEN were handing out pamphlets outside Wharenui School in Riccarton on Wednesday.

The pamphlets show a picture of a little girl simulating choking herself.

The group said this was an illustration of an exercise children are asked to do as an example of what happens to non-believers.

However, pastor Phil Stedman from the church providing the lessons denied children had ever been asked to do this.

"I have no idea what it's about, to be honest. We would never in our wildest dreams go anywhere near using a story like that. And I think that is a complete misrepresentation of the sort of thing we teach."

Stedman said while he believed in hell, this was not something children were taught about.

Watch: 'There are no secrets' - parents and church clash over religious education in schools

Source

• TVNZ
• RNZ
• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

David Hines, spokesperson for SEN, has been described in the media as a"retired Journalist and lay preacher.

An introduction to a 2012 YouTube video says Hines

• Was a Methodist minister for 10 years, from 1961.
• He resigned and became a journalist, but continued lay preaching.
• Around 1986 he became a Christian atheist, led a church youth group
• And he worked for the Catholic newspaper, Zealandia.
• About 2006 he started lay preaching again.

In a 2014 interview with Danielle Street posted on VICE Hines described himself as a Christian Atheist

"Well, my own beliefs are quite weird. I'm a Christian-Atheist and I'm a lay preacher.

So I've been a Christian all my life, but since I was 21 I've come at it from a secular angle.

I don't believe in the legendary stuff, but I still believe in the rest of it—the values and so on.

In the interview Hines said "When I was gathering comments against the Bible in Schools programme more Christians came and declared themselves against it than Atheists."

In its appeal to the Human Rights Commission SEN will be claiming that section 78 of the Education Act 1964 - which permitted the programmes - is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act.

The case also states that the Education Act 1989 permitted biased teaching about religions and non-religious beliefs in social studies and other classes, and stopped the Ministry of Education from monitoring it or taking action.

The Churches Education Commission (CEC), which runs Bible in Schools in many state schools, has also been accepted as an interested non-party with a right to present evidence.

CEC claim that their classes are suitable for non-religious students and that they support the New Zealand curriculum.

In 2015 Victoria University religious studies professor Paul Morris Morris reviewed two of the CEC courses.

Among other things he concluded that the teaching materials were "at odds with the diverse demography of our country where nationally a minority are Christian and an even smaller minority are conservative evangelical Christians".

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• youtube.com
• vice.com
• religioninschools.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• nzherald.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• religiouseducation.co.nz
• Image: vice.com

The lawyer representing the McClintock family, Richard Francois, is also seeking to repeal Section 78 of the Education Act, a move which could lead to religious studies being removed from state schools

Given the potential impact of the legal bid, the commission — the country's single biggest provider of school Bible studies — will argue on Thursday in the High Court at Auckland that it should be able to give evidence supporting the retention of religious teachings.

On Monday, board member Murray Burton told TV ONE's Breakfast that religious studies provide valuable life skills and moral teaching for young students.

"We've proven it adds huge value. We're not there to proselytise or evangelise. We're there to sow some seeds and I think the fruit will speak for itself."

Mr Burton says he occasionally gets reports that students feel excluded when they opt out of religious classes.

However, he says schools generally handle those situations well.

"Unfortunately every now and again someone feels got at and that's sad. We'd like to be part of the solution for that as well."

He says the half hour to an hour that children spend learning religion can help them develop character, which helps in all other areas of study.

"We would argue that nothing is lost but everything is gained by just taking half an hour to focus on that."

The Education Ministry said it would be inappropriate to comment as it was a party to the case before the courts.

The present rules state:
• Parents can choose to withdraw their children from religious instruction.
• Schools are able to offer one hour a week of religious studies.
• Each school decides on whether Bible programmes are offered.
• Schools can schedule them at whatever time suits.

Source

• The Herald On Sunday
• TVNZ
• Image Urban Christian News

For

Why should New Zealand primary schools continue to offer a Christian religious education programme to students?

Because we live in a global village and therefore primary school students should have the opportunity to learn about the various religions in our world. The Churches Education Commission provides a Christian-based religious education programme. Other religious organisations have equal rights to provide religious-based education programmes in schools.

Because the curriculum we use teaches students the fundamental values upon which our civil society is built, for example: treat others as we would like to be treated, be honest, forgive others, look after people who are less fortunate than you.

Because the Bible is a great work of literature; this ancient book has influenced great works of art, inspired Broadway shows, and has been influential in shaping cultures around the world. Its stories and ideas are embodied in history and literature. This is not to say that other religions don't also have holy books that they read from and hold in high regard; it's important students in an education environment have the opportunity of learning about the religions that have shaped the world in which we live.

Against

The Human Rights Commission in 2009 published guidelines about religion in schools, and it made a sharp distinction between "religious instruction" and "religious education". Religious instruction means programmes that promote a single religion and invite children to make a decision about it. Religious education means programmes that are multi-cultural, and don't invite a decision. Continue reading

Sources

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Urban Christian News