Religious material ban lifted in New Brunswick schools

CTV.ca ^ | 04/22/06 | News Staff

[Heartofsong83]

Religious material ban lifted in N.B. schools Updated Sat. Apr. 22 2006 7:05 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Schoolchildren in New Brunswick can once again receive religious material in class, but texts like the Bible can't be distributed freely as they had been for 60 years.

The Gideons, a Christian group that hands out Bibles to hotel rooms and hospitals, had been distributing copies of the New Testament to Grade 5 students for 60 years before a school board policy changed stopped the practice in 2003.

In lifting the province-wide ban Thursday, Education Minister Claude Williams said the Gideons will only be allowed to hand out Bibles if the material is first approved by him and an annual application is filed.

Other religious groups who want their texts handed out in school can also apply.

Pastor Jay Guptill told CTV Atlantic he praises the move.

"I think there's a lot of good that can come from reading God's word," he said.

"People in New Brunswick are interested in values and they want to consider not only values, but morals, and certainly that's one good thing that we can learn from the Bible."

Parent Scott Agnew, who helped put the past ban in place, feels children shouldn't be exposed to religion at school.

"That's just not OK in my book," he said. "When it's just one religion (being handed) out, it's basically propaganda in the school system, and that's not OK."

With a report from CTV Atlantic's Jodi Cooke

[Heartofsong83]

The pastor is right. The majority of New Brunswickers are sick and tired of the garbage from Canada's version of the ACLU - they do indeed support traditional values. That parent needs to realize he is in the minority.

[buccaneer81]

The majority of New Brunswickers are sick and tired of the garbage from Canada's version of the ACLU

Big BUMP from Woodstock High School class of 1981 and Mount Allison University class of 1985.

[Iam1ru1-2]

"That parent needs to realize he is in the minority."

No. That parent should move to the country that supports his viewpoint. Not Russia - they tolerate religion in school, not the Middle East - It's mandatory there, America - where freedom of religion and speech ends at the public school doors. It's the "political correct" (Satanic) thing to do.

[CheyennePress]

""When it's just one religion (being handed) out, it's basically propaganda in the school system, and that's not OK."

Being presented? Hardly. It's a matter of a group outside the school giving away Bibles.

[freepatriot32]

ping

[lakey]

Members of the Gideon Society are some of the finest, most dedicated, I've ever met.

[VeniVidiVici]

"That's just not OK in my book," he said. "When it's just one religion (being handed) out, it's basically propaganda in the school system, and that's not OK."

So then why doesn't he just take the Bible away from his little Johnny when he gets home from school? Does he have to abdicate all responsibility for educating his child the way he wants to the school system?

[traviskicks]

Such issues arise when schools are under the political control of the state.





Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.