BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 100, 30 April 1927, Page 10

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

PLEBISCITE OF PARENTS

APPROVAL OF MINISTER?

HON. E, A. WRIGHT'S ATTITUDE

The Bible in schools issue will be waged again in Parliament in the course of the coming session, and the league is seeking further assistance for the cause of the Hon. L. M. Isitt's Eeligious Exercises in Schools Bill, which has been defeated on several occasions, by taking a plebiscite of the parents of school children, to ascertain their opinions on the measure. The league hopes to have its plebiscite completed before the session commences, and .its representatives in the various centres have been approaching headmasters of schools for permission to copy, the names and addresses of parents from the school register. In some cases, it is understood,. the request is not being welcomed. The. Wellington Education Board has asked head teachers wit) | iFs district to give accredited representatives of the league facilities to extract from the rolls the names and addresses of parents. THE VOTINa PAPEE. A voting paper has been prepared for issue to parents in the following form: Parents' Vote on Religious Exercises in Schools. This Voting Paper 4s Approved by the Minister of Education. Are you willing that on four days a week not more than the first fifteen minutes be spent in singing a a hymn, joining in the Lord's Prayer, and the reading of a passage from the Bible, no religious comment or teaching being permitted* The Hymnal and Bible Manual to be compiled by representatives of the various churches in conjunction, with the Education Department. Conscience Clause. (1) Any parents not wishing their children to attend these exercises to simply notify the headmaster of their • wish. (2) Any teachers wishing exemption to notfy their committees and other provision will bo made. Vote Here. ' Answer: YES. NO. Signature Address Instructions to Voter. Strike out the word "NO" if you are in favour of the Exercises being established in your school. Strike out the word "YES" if you are against them being established, and sign your name and address on dotted lines. Only one person can vote for each family, such person being the father or the mother or the guardian of the child or childreu attending the school. No voter must make comment on this voting form. Tho vote must be simply Yes or No. Voters will materially assist by voting and posting their vote in the accompanying addressed envelope as speedily as possible. . Eemember—many may want more, but it is this or nothing. "DECISION BESTS WITH BOARDS." The' voting paper was brought before the notice of the Minister of Education (the Hon. B; A. Wright) to-day by a "Post" reporter, together with comment by the Dunedin "Evening Star" that "this (tho Minister's approval of the paper) is a form of enterprise on the part of a', self-constitut-od body which we think should have been discouraged rather than encouraged by the Minister of Education." Mr. Wright stated that he had been approached in the matter by the Hon. Mr. Isitt, and that he had given tiis formal consent to tho form of ' the voting paper. It was represented to him that headmasters might object to the paper, and he- had therefore given his consent to its form, subject, of course, to the approval of Education Boards, with which tho decision rested entirely. The Minister added that he understood some of the boards bad already expressed their objection to the paper.