Karakia under the Spotlight

Yesterday there was an article in the New Zealand Herald suggesting that karakia could be affected by the legal action being taken by Jeff McClintock, David Hines and Tanya Jacob. Regardless of the nature of karakia the status of prayer in class is already legally clear, The Education Act of 1877 established New Zealand schools as Universal, Free and Secular. This means that all children should be welcome at state schools regardless of race, religion or financial status. Reciting karakia does not depend on the legal loophole which allows Christian Ministries to enter schools to preach to children after the school formally closes. Holding prayer in class is already a violation of the Education Act. Our former President, Ngaire McCarthy, of Ngapuhi, Ngati Hako, andNgati Tamatera has addressed this issue in an article on SciBlogs.