The Secular Education Network is appealing to the High Court for a ruling that these classes are discriminatory and contrary to the Bill of Rights Act, and that school time should be reserved for professionally taught education. Read more

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

He was speaking after some parents had expressed concern that an American Christian preacher Reggie Dabbs gave a motivational speech at Kapiti College.

Kane said the speech was motivational, and he was given "absolute restrictions" not to preach.

Dabbs spoke to about 280 year 9 and 10 pupils on Thursday as part of a New Zealand tour.

He also spoke at Wellington College and Rongotai College.

At the end of his speech, flyers advertising Arise Church's Impact convention at Wellington's Opera House on Friday night were made available.

Kane said he was "not uncomfortable" with the flyers.

"I understand that people could see it as stealth evangelism, and I think if the words Arise Church were not on the flyer, that would be completely fair comment."

Lisa Rodgers, Ministry of Education head of early learning and student achievement, said Kane had done the right thing putting restrictions on Dabbs.

"It's unfortunate if the speaker took advantage of the situation by distributing flyers for his Church," she said.

Teaching in state schools was required to be secular but Boards of Trustees can close a class or the school for up to 20 hours a year to offer religious instruction for students to participate in on a voluntary basis.

In May, Dabbs was criticised for delivering motivational speeches at Victorian state schools, incensing parents who said his presentation was deceptive and went against the ideals of a secular education.

Image:

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: Twitter

"It is a beginning of a new era in education, an era that we are trying to develop to contribute towards character building, towards securing a physically and mentally stable fitter Fiji."

Is Yoga a religious practice?

Given its close connection to Indian Vedic tradition some people think yoga by nature is a specifically religious practice.

Deepak Chopra says that "If by we mean the religious experience of transcendence, the loss of fear of death, and the emergence of platonic qualities such as truth, beauty, goodness, harmony, and evolution, then yes, yoga can give us a religious experience."

"It is not religion in the form of ideology, dogma, belief systems, or compliance; it's a spiritual experience that gives us access to a universal domain of reality."

Rights of individuals protected

"Fiji's president, Jioji Konrote has stressed that the rights of individuals as enshrined under the Constitution must always be taken into consideration when contemplating yoga so that there are no other repercussions.

Reddy says it won't be compulsory, "but we as educators would want to provide a bundle of choice, a bundle of opportunity to our children,"

He said the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts have taken on the enterprise to implement this program in schools around the country via the physical education programme.

Reddy said the practice of yoga would develop the students' physical and mental health.

Indian High Commissioner to Fiji, Vishvas Sapkal believes the introduction of yoga in schools around the country will boost students' physical, mental and spiritual discipline.

He said this while officiating at the International Day of Yoga celebrations in Labasa last week.

Sapkal said yoga embodied the unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; and harmony between man and nature.

"Yoga, which originated in India more than 6000 years ago, is a combination of physical, mental and spiritual discipline with which one can transform the body and the mind," he said.

Source

• fijitimes.com
• fijitimes.com
• fijitimes.com
• yogajournal.com
• Image: fijitimes.com

The High Court had earlier this year struck the so called Bible in Schools case out but Court of Appeal Judges Rhys Harrison, Forrest Miller and Helen Winkelmann have reinstated the case.

The Court of Appeal judgment said McClintock's complaint was that the Red Beach Primary School had allowed representatives of the Life in Focus Trust to teach a programme called Values in Action in classrooms.

"Mr McClintock's essential complaint is that the board has attempted to conceal the true nature of the programme, which he says is one of religious instruction."

"He accepts that attendance at the LIFT classes is optional. But he complains that his daughter is being treated unfairly as a result of his decision to withdraw her from the classes."

Despite several orders and trial re-schedules, McClintock missed a final Hight Court deadline to file and the High Court threw out McClintock's case.

The Court of Appeal said McClintock's lawyer had been "guilty of continual delays and unexplained breaches of successive orders made in the High Court". His defaults were "serious and unexplained", the court said.

However, it said the appeal nevertheless succeeded. The court ruled that the proceeding was not ready for trial when it was struck out, as it still needed McClintock to provide an amended statement of claim that complied with High Court rules.

As part of the ruling, McClintock will file a notice of discontinuance against the school board, in full and final settlement of his claims against the board, while the case will continue against the Attorney-General, with McClintock to file an amended statement of claim.

McClintock was also instructed to pay all outstanding High Court cost orders.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

He took the board of Red Beach School on the Hibiscus Coast to court because he alleged the school's Bible in Schools classes showed disrespect for his daughter's rights to freedom of religion.

The High Court case was struck off because submissions were not filed on time.

Last Monday The court ordered McClintock to file his submissions by the next morning, but he said the documents didn't arrive in time.

2 other campaigners had been given permission to join the case as interested non-parties and present limited evidence and submissions.

This had delayed submissions, but it was still unfair to throw out the case, Mr McClintock said.

"I was initially very angry, mostly because it wasn't the opposition beating me but me beating myself," he said.

"Since the case was never heard no precedent had been set about Bible lessons in classes."

This meant the case could still be heard if the appeal was successful or a new case was lodged.

"It is frustrating waiting this long but we are prepared to wait longer because there are so many parents affected."

The Human Rights Commission and the Churches Education Commission (CEC) were also involved in the case.

A CEC spokesman said they were passionate about continuing Bible classes in state schools.

"There is real depth to this debate and a lot of the key issues have not yet been addressed."

CEC teaches Bible lessons in more than 650 public schools, making it the largest provider in the country.

The cancelled hearing had been set down for April 26 at the High Court at Auckland.

Source

• m.nzherald.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

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

Labour, New Zealand First and the Green Party are indicating they would support change in the way religion is currently taught in schools.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says it's up to Boards of Trustees to determine whether to include some, all, or no classes in religious education. Continue reading

He was in the room for the duration of a religious education class that he had chosen not to attend.

Tanya Jacob says she pulled her son out of Harewood School in 2012 after first opting him out of the religious classes for three years.

She claims he was being "snuck back in the classes" or in conjoining rooms sorting books "within earshot."

Jacobs said she repeatedly asked to have her son completely removed, but then he was made to do dishes.

Harewood School principal Julie Greenwood said its board of trustees made the decision to bring volunteers in to deliver religious instruction while the school was officially closed for 30 minutes a week, for about three-quarters of the year.

But parents could opt out "and that's perfectly fine."

"While we offer this programme, those who choose to opt out are in no way discriminated against."

"The children are actively supervised in the library during the 30-minute sessions."

Jacob's son was the only child who opted out at the time, and "obviously systems were different". He was "not put to work", said Greenwood.

Jacobs is a member of the Secular Education Network, which wants religious instruction in schools forbidden.

She said her family was not opposed to religion, but schools that were meant to be "melting pots" of different religions and cultures were essentially "handing over a captive congregation" to one particular church group.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Grant's Brae School

Red Beach School north of Auckland has been in a long-running dispute with parent Jeff McClintock over its Values in Action lessons, which are 30 minutes a week and teach values through Bible stories.

Now Mr McClintock, a member of the Secular Education Network, has laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. His daughter attends a state school in Red Beach on the Hibiscus Coast in Auckland New Zealand.

Mr McClintock said he was laying the complaint now in an effort to improve things before his son Lee, 4, started at Red Beach next year.

Board chairman Antony Wentworth said the school was aware of Mr McClintock's desire to remove religion-based teaching. "The board has completed a number of reviews of this programme [including] responding to an inquiry Mr McClintock took to the Chief Ombudsman and the Ministry of Education in 2012."

• By law, state schools are secular, but can choose to "close" during school hours for half an hour of religious lessons each week.
• A survey by the Secular Education Network last year found one in three state primary and intermediate schools teaches religious instruction.
• One organisation running Bible lesson.

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Image: gbs2.wikispaces.com

Parents at four schools in Auckland and Palmerston North have raised concerns about Christian Religious Instruction (CRI) being taught and three of those schools have since made changes to their classes.

However, ministry spokeswoman Katrina Casey said there were no plans to change any policy around religious instruction in schools. Continue reading

Some parents are worried that New Zealand could follow the lead of France and enforce a strict secular educational environment.

It comes two weeks after St Heliers School announced it would move its Christian religious education programme to outside school hours following complaints to the Human Rights Commission.

The National MP for Tamaki, Simon O'Connor, said he had been regularly stopped in the streets of his constituency by concerned parents since the decision was made public on February 11. Continue reading.

It seems that the aggressive moral outrage from the serious-sounding Secular Education Network was sufficient for the St Heliers School's Board of Trustees to capitulate on the long tradition of Bible in Schools. continue reading

Religion will now be taught outside school hours for St Heliers School pupils who choose to attend. Continue reading

The Education Act allows a school to close for up to 60 minutes a week for religious instruction, if its board of trustees approves.

St Heliers School surveyed the school community following the complaint.

Figures supplied by the board of trustees show that only 41 per cent of parents voted. Of those, 67 per cent were in favour, 18 per cent were against and 13 per cent were neutral.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: gbs2.wikispaces.com

Ngaro, a list MP and former chairman of the Tamaki College Board of Trustees, was last week dragged into the Employment Relations Authority dispute between Tamaki College and former art teacher Christopher Scott Roy.

Roy claims he was constructively dismissed because he is an atheist and Tamaki College saw Christianity as "a core responsibility to which he was indifferent". Continue reading

Prime Minister, John Key says teachers in schools should be able to opt-out of delivering a karakia in schools if they wanted to.

Maori Affairs Minster, Pita Sharples. says because there are a lot of Maori and Pasifika whanau whose children attend Kelston Intermediate. The school's culture should reflect the community, and the whanau who send their children to the school.

"It is absolutely fitting that karakia be used in the school, as it is a vital part of our lifestyle and it is also consistent with the New Zealand Curriculum."

Dr Sharples said if individual teachers had an issue with leading students through karakia, then it should be worked through between the school and families.

A ministry of education spokesperson says while state primary schools were required to be secular this didn't preclude teaching about religion. He added, however that a 2009 document produced by the Human Rights Commission advised teachers and principals to avoid leading pupils in prayer.

They were responding to concern expressed by some of the teachers at the school about karakia (prayers) being recited in the classroom.

The school recites a karakia at the start of its weekly assembly and in classrooms before lessons begin.

Staff lead the prayer, which asks for the day to be blessed, help with work and to have a good week.

The NZEI, the primary teachers' union, has been asked to address concerns that have been expressed.

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• New Zealand Herald
• Image: Rotorua Post

Churches Education Commission (CEC) chief executive Simon Greening said he removed the three volunteer teachers for deviating from the organisation's strict code of expectations, and that there may have been others around the country.

In the latest of the three Auckland incidents this year, Mr Greening said a teacher of the Christian-based weekly class at a South Auckland primary school was investigated following a complaint two months ago for an "inappropriate" Bible lesson on Adam and Eve.

Continue reading

However the child's father says that when he visited the school he found his 7 year old daughter left alone in a classroom "naughty corner" with a book during the 35-minute lesson.

"Last year my daughter spent a total of 4.5 days sitting in this corner," said Jeff McClintock

McClintock now takes his daughter Violet out of the classroom corner once a week for a walk while Values in Action is taught.

McClintock and his wife took a stand against the class when as a 5-year-old Violet began asking if she could "meet God".

"We went along to have a look and realised it was run by very devout Christians".

He said although the school asked parents for permission for their children to learn Values in Action, it was not clear until he pressed the previous principal and board of trustees who agreed that it was "religious instruction".

A 2008 Education Review Office report advised the board to clarify exactly what the class was.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Open Parachute

In an interview on Television One, the Reverend Clay Nelson, an associate priest at St Matthews in the City in Auckland, said the Bible in Schools programme is an imposition on the human rights of children as it restricts the freedom of other religions which is protected under the Bill of Rights.

The Archbishops say the Anglican Church in New Zealand has long supported the Churches Education Commission' Bible in Schools programme, both financially and in principle, and will continue to do so.

Their stament concludes:

"This is long-standing agreement which honours the freedom of choice we enjoy in this country, as well as the right of parents to influence their children's spiritual and moral development.

We honour the work of the hundreds of volunteers who continue, in a loving, sensitive and non-manipulative way, to offer access, when asked, to this heritage in our schools"

The Reverend Clay Nelson is an Anglican priest trained and ordained in the U.S. He emigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in August 2005. Shortly after arriving he began his ministry at St Matthew's using his background in communications and web development to develop an "online virtual church."

In a lecture " The Value of a Secular Society" presented to the New Zealand Association of Humanists and Rationalists, he describes himself as a non theist. He says faith is "about ethical living rooted in finding our better self in higher purpose"

Source

• One News
• Scoop
• St Matthews in the City
• Image: Grant's Braes School