A long-running court battle over Bible studies being allowed in state primary and intermediate schools has been dropped after an opt-in clause was added to the Education and Training Act 2020. The August 2020 update to the Education and Training Act requires state primary and intermediate schools to enforce an opt-in process for religious instruction. Read more
The Human Rights Commission and members of the Secular Education Network have applied to join court action against religion in state schools. A case is being taken by Jeff McClintock against Red Beach School. He laid a complaint with the commission several years ago after his daughter was put in a corner when she opted Read more
One in three state primary and intermediate schools teaches religious instruction, according to a survey which has triggered debate over what children are being taught. Here, the chief of the Churches Education Commission, Simon Greening, and the survey’s author, David Hines, present their views: For Why should New Zealand primary schools continue to offer a Read more
More than 50 state schools have cancelled bible based education in school hours since 2011, with a lack of teaching volunteers and decline in parental support cited as the main reasons. Rationalist David Hines has questioned state schools about their religious instruction programmes under the Official Information Act, and plans to create a public database Read more