A CURIOUS SILENCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 182, 3 August 1944, Page 4

A CURIOUS SILENCE

•TPHE assertion by Bishop Liston that an attempt will' be made next year ■*• to introduce into the secondary, schools, as a text-book in social studies, a book which he described, as "an anti-Christian work," has not been officially denied. Neither the Minister nor the Director of Education has* hastened-to deny it. . Mr. Mason has remained silent, while Dr. Beeby is reported to have said in Christchurch that the book was not being, introduced .in. primary schools. Nobody had said it was. Neither Minister- nor Director has said—the least, surely,-that they might have been expected to say—that as such strong objection has been expressed to the-book the recommendation given,it by the Department will be .reconsidered. No indication has been given by: either of them of a recognition of the fact that the recommendation is. to many people distressing and, 'offensive,, But it is said "that the use of the book will not*tfe obligatory, that head teachers will have the right to choose, and therefore 'right to "reject. Was it, then, by accident that this book was placed first.on the list of books recommended by the Department, and will it be contended that this fact has no implication and will not be without, influence? As the matter stands, every parent endeavouring to ensure for his. child - a.Christian upbringing ought to know .that if that child attends I a State secondary school next year he or she may be required to obtain and study a text-book (and the parent to pay for it) in which the Christian teaching the child is receiving at church, in Sunday school or.in the honie is belittled and belied. The. parents of aJ-child attending a private school, if the school is one of those in which Christian instruction is regarded as;of paramount importance, will be njore fortunate, for it is inconceivable that the teachers would use such at book; but there is the possibility that "refusal-to use it will result in some of their pupils being placed at a disadvantage. If it be remembered that this .book is being recommended for use in "social .studies," a subject proposed in the report of the curriculum committee,-which report is supposed to be still open for discussion, the situation becomes even more unsatisfactory. It is high time for the Minister to explain to the pjublie just what his Departmental "experts"., are trying to do, and to say unequivocally whether it has his approval. ... V... .