Post by Kiwi Frontline on Nov 8, 2017 16:23:30 GMT 12
NATIVE AFFAIRS - RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
For over 140 years, religious instruction has been taught in state schools across Aotearoa.
But now, the Secular Education Network has started a campaign to ban it from classrooms.
Ngaire McCarthy from the Network says, “There should be no religious instruction in state primary schools in New Zealand. If a parent wants their children to learn religion then they should teach their 5 year old about religion at home.”
Peter Harrison is the founder of the Secular Education Networks. He also questions the use of prayers in te reo Māori, saying if it is religious then it needs to go. Harrison says, “I don't believe that we should have explicitly Christian karakia because we have roughly 50% of Māori who are non-religious. So it’s sort of excluding those people or at least making them feel alienated. I would rather see an inclusive karakia that makes all the children feel welcome in the school.”
But Abbey Allen from Churches Education Commission says, “We use karakia or prayer as an example within our lesson and it’s always given as a choice whether the children participate or not. We are there to teach about Christian religious education and prayer is part of the lesson. .....
www.maoritelevision.com/news/education/native-affairs-religious-education
For over 140 years, religious instruction has been taught in state schools across Aotearoa.
But now, the Secular Education Network has started a campaign to ban it from classrooms.
Ngaire McCarthy from the Network says, “There should be no religious instruction in state primary schools in New Zealand. If a parent wants their children to learn religion then they should teach their 5 year old about religion at home.”
Peter Harrison is the founder of the Secular Education Networks. He also questions the use of prayers in te reo Māori, saying if it is religious then it needs to go. Harrison says, “I don't believe that we should have explicitly Christian karakia because we have roughly 50% of Māori who are non-religious. So it’s sort of excluding those people or at least making them feel alienated. I would rather see an inclusive karakia that makes all the children feel welcome in the school.”
But Abbey Allen from Churches Education Commission says, “We use karakia or prayer as an example within our lesson and it’s always given as a choice whether the children participate or not. We are there to teach about Christian religious education and prayer is part of the lesson. .....
www.maoritelevision.com/news/education/native-affairs-religious-education