A primary school in Perth (Western Australia) has decided to stop saying the Lord’s Prayer, a Christian prayer, in their school assembly. As a consequence, there has been a negative response from many parents and other members of the public from all around Australia, who believe this is an “un-Christian” and “cowardly” act on their behalf and think it should not have been abolished.
The recital of the Lord’s Prayer in assembly at this school was stopped in the first place due to certain allegations of parents who believe it can be against the secular Education Act that is in effect in Australia as, in some way, it is imposing the Christian religion on those who attend this school.
The controversy has made many people involved have to defend their position, as this action has been considered as “insensitive”; but on the other hand, due to the secular system, schools should not put a certain belief above any other at any school in the country so they should not have to be in this situation in the first place.
Despite all this, many agree that all the hate mail this school has been receiving from all over the country is completely unacceptable and they should not be attacked or accused of facts that are not sufficiently backed up or true.
I personally agree with the fact that schools should not impose a certain religion or belief on their students, as I believe it is something personal that everyone should be given the option to choose. This situation has been extremely controversial, but I am sure it is not going to be the only one, as the Australian Education Act has a secular nature and they are in their right to keep religion aside.
I do not agree at all with those who sent the so-called “hate letters” as I believe it is completely disrespectful and if they really are Christians and want their children to say the Lord’s Prayer every day, they have other options. They could possibly take these children to a different school or simply say the Prayer with them at home when they are not at school with the others.
Source: The Australian
Link to article: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/school-hate-mail-as-prayer-dropped/story-e6frgczx-1226144044387
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ReplyDeleteI find this article very interesting, above all, because we experienced something similar in Spain some years ago, when crucifixes were removed from public schools. It is understandable that this decision is being controversial in Australia, as it was in Spain.
As a Christian, I think it is a good idea to keep religious symbols aside from public schools, although it is also good to offer the oportunity of studying it. Nowadays, and due to the globalization process and the mixture of cultures, we all need to respect each other and not to impose religions in the public sphere. Obviously, this is in the case of public schools, while the private ones have their right of teaching following the values and religions they chose.
From my point of view the separation of education and religion is a positive step for Australia and actually any given country. I believe that in a world like today's, where plenty of cults and religions have to coexist in a single society, religious symbols and practices should become more and more a private matter. Furthermore, I believe that in a field such as public education no religious cult should be imposed over others, as it is being financed by people of all cults in the context of a secular country.
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