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THE WEEKEND OUTLOOK Friday 11 1M1 Page -Features- Halton School Board happy with own religion policy By LISA BOONSTOPPELPOT The Herald An hour of education about religion is what the Ministry of Education is offering Ontario school boards but local trustees teachers parents and Board officials are saying no thank you I dont see any need to change at present said Bob Parry Haltons superintendent of policy and planning unless our trustees start feeling a lot of pressure to provide religious teaching I dont think well do anything about it Hills trustee Dick Howitt said he hasnt heard any comments from parents in dicattng they would want the minutes per week of education about religion from grades one to eight that would reflect the multi faith nature of Ontarios society but are not tlonal as described by Educa tion Minister Marion This policy announced in December was developed follow ing a review of the Ontario Court of Appeal Decision of Jan 30 1990 regarding religious educa tion Educators and other interested educational groups will be able to comment on the new policy since a resource document will be sent out within 16 months Trustee said his com ments will indicate concerns about the policy I wonder if we have instruc tors qualified to teach religious instruction and even If we did the instruction would take more time away from the already crowded school curriculum he said Personally Mr Howitt feels religion should be the sibllity of parents who shouldnt Bob Williams rely on the public school system to provide religious instruction Joyce Sinley Chairman of McKenzie Smith Public School Parent Teacher Association spoke as a parent and instructor when she said religion should be taught in church I feel strongly that with so many additional subjects like French language Aids sex and values education being taught now there isnt room for much more she said It would take time away from other school sub jects George principal of Centennial Public School and Callaghan principal of JosephGibbons Public School are also aganst the idea of religious education They say theyre happy with Halton school boards current policy of moral and religious in a traction Dick policy makes it ex empt from teaching religion said Mr Pary Since the early 70s when requested exemp tion from religious instruction as a result of recommendations from the McKay commission on the topic schools dont of any specific religious tion What religious ideas are taught in schools are incorporated into the opening ceremonies Marilyn Henderson president of the Halton Council of Home and School Association explain ed that all public schools have a manual of readings The readings arent taken from any one faith of religion but represent a wide range of attitudes towards people the environment and moral issues Ms Hendersoo was on the com that established the manual and she said the commit Noel Duignan tee discovered through discus sion that parents were more in terested in a moral society rather than religious education But not all parents are against religious instruction In schools Taylor speaking as a parent though she is Chairman of the Robert Little Public School Parent Teacher Association said she would like to see religion taught in the schools Knowledge of religion gives kids an understanding of other cultures and when people have a better understanding it helps reduce prejudice and discrimina tion she said Education about religion should begin at the elementary school level because thats when children begin to form opinions By the time theyre in secondary school they often already formed opinions which if pre judiced can be hard to change She said education about religion would be particularly helpful in schools like Robert Lit tle which are in small com like Acton and Georgetown since these areas dont expose kids to culturalism and differences in religion But Superintendent Parry doesnt see how education about religion would really benefit younger children in the public school system In the primary grades its dif ficult to teach the abstract notion of religion as well as comparing different religions he said Youngsters cant conceptualize too well and to discuss the con cent of different religious beliefs can confuse children Bob Williams Direc tor of Education supports Mr Parry saying kids dont develop abstract reasoning powers until theyre in their teens However he said we can teach them values and honesty and respect for each other which doesnt necessarily have to be under the guise of religion Norths New Democrat MPP Noel supports his ministers objective saying I believe there should be some education programs dealing with the whole subject of religion in schools But from the opinions of the Halton school board and local in terested parties in the issue it doesnt appear that the idea is supported here Their comments and opinions will be collected by the govern ment but the ultimate choice to teach education about religion has been left to the school boards and School Board has decided to leave things the way they are Halton police add to force Hills residents will be seeing a new face policing their town as one of seven new cadets to the Halton Regional Police Force was sworn in today day About this time every year a new police officer was hired by Halton Regional Police This year three women and four men were hired and were sworn in as police officers in a badge ceremony at the Burl police detachment at Locust and Elgin Streets today Prior to the ceremony the recruits are called cadets and must pass the Ontario Police Col lege basic recruit training course to be sworn in Halton Hills new officer is David William Jones whos been a resident of Niagara Falls for over 23 years He attended A N Secondary School graduating with a Grade diploma Officer Jones then attended the University of Guelph where he successfully earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with concentrations in political science He has previously been employed as a Special Constable with the Niagara Parks Police Now that he sworn in Mr Jones will police the area with a coach officer for about three months He II then write a coach officer exam and if he suc cessfully completes it he be out on his own as a class officer explained Sergeant Rod Galbratth of the Human Resources training bureau The following is a summary of the other six cadets who joined the Regional Police Force Jean Hammond Brenda grew up in Hamilton and attended Delta Secondary School graduating with a Grade diploma She then attended Mohawk College and was an Honours Graduate from the Travel and Tourism program Brenda has been previously employed as a passenger agent for a major airline a waitress and a sales clerk Brenda has held the Canadian Artistic Roller Skating Champion title since and represented Canada at international competi tions including the Pan Am Games Constable Hammond is assign 3 District in Burlington Thomas Frederick Reilly Tom has grown up in the Hamilton area and at tended Ancaster High and Voca tional School graduating with a Grade diploma Tom then attended the sity of Guelph graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree He ma jored in sociology and an Tom ha been previously employed as a real estate agent installer and maintenanceland scaper While attending the Ontario Police College Tom was selected by his classmates to be their sports representative Constable is assigned to No 3 District in Burlington Allan Jeffrey Bryer Al grew up in the Toronto area graduating from New Toronto Secondary School with a grade diploma He was awarded the Technical Scholarship for highest standing in the Auto Mechanics program then went on to Centennial College Scarborough receiving a certificate in the Motor Vehicle Mechanic Apprentice Program has previously been employed as a Communicator with this Police Service as a bus driver and as a delivery person Constable Bryer is assigned to No District in Oakville Diane Diane grew up in Burlington and attended Lord Elgin Secon dary School She graduated with herGrade l2diploma Diane has been previously employed as a medical secretary a receptionist and store manager While attending the Ontario Police College Diane received the Ernie Effort Award for her outstanding participation during fitness activities She was also selected as a member of the Drill Team which performed at the graduation ceremonies Constable is assigned to No 2 District in Oakville Lynn Thompson grew up in the MiltonBurlington area She at tended Lester B Pearson High School and graduated with a Grade Jodi then attended Mohawk College Hamilton where she successfully completed a year Law and Security Administration Program and was named to the Deans Honour List has previously been employed as a cashier part time investigator s assistant and receptionist While attending the Ontario Police College Jodi received the intramural sportsmanship award for her class Constable Thompson is assign edtoNo 2DistrictinOakville Luciano Sean Maiiulo Sean grew up in the Ridgeway area and attended Crystal Beach High School where he graduated with a Grade 12 diploma Sean entered the Canadian Armed Forces in 1986 where he had a successful career as a military police officer He has also been previously employed as a general labourer and stock manager While attending the Ontano Police College Sean received the Golden Template Award for the most outstanding accident report He was also selected as a member of the Dnll Team which performed at the graduation ceremonies Constable is assigned to No District in Burlington Offices ransacked Grant Isaac barrister solicitor and notary was surprised to find his filing cabinets and drawers ransacked when he entered his office in the Professional Arts Building at Sinclair Avenue in Georgetown Tuesday morning His office was one of 11 offices entered Halton Regional Police say No evidence of forced entry was round outside the building but each of the office doors inside were forced open with a blunt object with the exception of the pharmacy and a dentists office Police suspect the damage and theft was committed by youths since only two Radio Shack speakers and was stolen Valuable Items such as fax machines answering machines computers and typewriters were all left behind and though offices where drugs are kept were opened there was no reported loss of drugs police say At WITH TS COUPON SAVE 60c OFF THE PURCHASE OF ONE Mi target food stores 51 St GEORGETOWN NEILSONS 2 MILK 299 with Coupon 359 without Coupon Valid Only At Target Georgetown Valid thru to Jan 31101