Devotions in school not a divisive issue
Published:Monday | November 7, 2022 | 12:05 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The Gleaner editorial of November 4, ‘Devotion protocols are sensible’, appears to be fomenting division in the devotional environment within schools. The newspaper describes the decision of the education minister to introduce protocols to govern school devotions as “protecting the minority from the tyranny of the majority”. The editorial also charges that “students are corralled into Christian devotional exercises”, without presenting proof of this.
Despite the insinuation, there is no need for denominational division on this issue as all churches, whether orthodox or not, understand the mandate of transforming lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Across Jamaica, several hundred public and privately operated schools conduct daily devotion. There has been no systemic problems or complaints about how devotions are conducted in schools. The editorial appears to be overstating the situation. There have been no complaints from parents that their children are being forced to engage in devotional activities against their religious beliefs in schools.
In the main, school administrators adhere to the established protocols provided by Section 18 of The Education Act. Subsection 2 states: “If the parent of any student attending a public educational institution request that such student be excused from attendance at any religious observance or any instruction in religious subjects at such institution or elsewhere, then, until such request is withdrawn, the student shall be excused from such attendance without forfeiting any of the other benefits of such institution.”
The decision to deviate from mass worship in school must not be taken lightly and must be seen as exceptional. According to Subsection 4, “The school day in every public educational institution shall include time for collective worship on the part of all students in attendance at the institution, and the arrangements made therefore shall provide for a single act of worship attended by all such students unless, in the opinion of the Board of Management, the premises of the institution are such as to make it impracticable to assemble the students for such purpose.”
The minister of education should be sensitive to this. So, too, should The Gleaner.
BYRON BUCKLEY
Second Vice-President
Association of Christian
Communicators and Media