THE SCHOOLS AND RELIGION

Evening Star, Issue 23717, 26 October 1940, Page 18

THE SCHOOLS AND RELIGION

THE CASE FOR SECULAR EDUCATION SOUND REASONS FOR RETENTION [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 25. “ In stating its position in regard to religious exercises in schools, the New Zealand Educational Institute wishes to make it plain at the outset that although attempts have been made to present this subject as one of urgent topical importance thrust into prominence by the war. it is, in fact, as old as the" New Zealand education system itself,” said the secretary of the institute (Mr G. R. Aslibridge), in a statement issued to-day.

“ In 1877, free, secular, and compulsory education was instituted in New Zealand by Act of Parliament,” Mr Aslibridge said. “ Four years later, an attempt was made to have the secular provision withdrawn. This attempt was heavily defeated. Other attempts since then have met with a similar fate. For 03 years primary education in this country has been conducted on a secular basis.' In that period. New Zealanders, as individuals and as a nation, have placed achievements to their credit in all walks of life, which may bo matched but cannot be bettered in anv other country.

‘‘ A fine record has been made in both peace and war by a country which lias clung tenaciously to the secular education system,” Mr Ashbridge said. “ The secular clause is part and parcel of the compulsory clause. It has secured tolerance for every point of view without infringing in any way upon the individual lights of conscience. It says no more than tlult for 25 hours out of every 168 the children shall be given that part of their education which can bo provided by the State, which has no official religion. For all but 25 hours in each week parents and churches are free to bring the children within religious influences to any extent they may think desirable. Parents who feel that there should bo more prayer in the lives of their children have an ample opportunity to conduct these simple religious observances in their own homes. “ That the State should have no official dogma and that absolute freedom of religious opinion should be guaranteed'and maintained,” Mr Ashbridge said, “ is a fundamental tenet of our democratic way of life. Indeed, the New Zealand Parliament has guarded the rights of conscience so jealously that even in history teaching specific provision is made in the Education Act that no child shall be compelled to be present at the teaching of history whose parents or guardians object. “ No crisis, however serious,” Mr Ashbridge said, “ should be used as an excuse to force religious observances upon the schools of a community which for generations has fought for and upheld the principle of absolute tolerance. The New Zealand Educational Institute, with a record of public service that dates back nearly 60 years, cannot permit people who support the campaign for religious exercises in schools to arrogate to themselves the sole rights of judgment in this matter or to present themselves as more virtuous or more public-spirited than their opponents. The institute sides with those distinguished Christian leaders who have objected in the strongest terms to the use of religious observances as a kind of social tonic in times of national crisis.

“ As a professional body,” Mr Ashbridge added, “ the institute has stated and restated sound educational and sociological reasons for retaining the long-standing secular system. In doing so, it has educational authority, commonsense, and law on its side, for the fact is that the current proposals for instituting religious observances are illegal They run contrary to consolidated public opinion over a period of more than 60 years, and they are in conflict with New Zealand law.”