WHY ALL THE OPPOSITION?

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 12 August 1942, Page 3

WHY ALL THE OPPOSITION?

(To the Editor) Sir > —A very serious flaw appears in the argument ol' the N.Z. Educational Institute. The same error has appeared in at least one other letter in “The Mail.” The contention is that the introduction of the Bible into the schools would promote controversy because the teachers would be required to give instruction. This is not so. As I understand the matter the teachers would not be required nor would they be permitted to impart actual religious teaching The idea is, that school should be opened with a hymn, the Lord’s Prayer and the reading, without comment, of a short passage of Scripture, and such teachers as objected to taking any part, would be excused. Surely, sir, it is not asking too much ot our teachers to do this small but very important thing for our children. I sometimes wonder whether the Educational Institute does reallj speak for all the teachers and I certainly think it reprehensible that such an important body should put out statements so erroneous and misleading. With this statement some people may wonder then why all the opposition by the Institute to such a simple thing as giving out a hymn, leading the children in the Lord’s Prayer and reading a lesson without comment/ And that precisely,, sir, is the question to which some of us have been looking for a reasonable answer for years. Why, on the part of the Institute such opposition to such a simple, well-merited and urgent reform to our educational system, why/ I am, etc., RAYMOND SIMPSON. Motupiko, 11th August