PARENTS’ SCRUPLES
PATRIOTIC SONGS AND POEMS
AUCKLAND, July 15. There is no regulation compelling parents to agree to their children taking part in patriotic observances including the reciting of poems or the singing of songs in school, states an Education Department memorandum received at to-day’s meeting of the Auckland Education Board, in reply to a question as to what attitude should be adopted regarding parents who refuse to allow children to take part in patriotic observances at school. The question arose out of a letter from the headmaster of the Edgecumbe School concerning two Jehovah’s Witness parents who objected to their children reciting patriotic poems or songs. The departmental memorandum added: “It is unusual even for parents with religious scruples to adopt this extreme attitude, but it would be impossible, to penalise children who are carrying out their parents’ wishes.” During a discussion it was stated that poems and songs objected to by the Jehovah’s Witness parents included “Lest We Forget” and “There’ll Always be an England.” The board decided to send a strong protest to the Department and to renew its previous representations concerning the need for action.
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Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1942, Page 6
Word Count
189PARENTS’ SCRUPLES Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1942, Page 6
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