Alberta school grapples with Lord's Prayer

ASt. Albert school, north of Edmonton, is struggling to find middle ground between parents who want the Lord's Prayer recited each morning and those who say it has no place inpublic classrooms.

"We're a public school...no official affiliation to any religion, but you taught my children that there is a god," said Luke Fevin, one of more than a dozen Sturgeon Heights Schoolparents to attend a school board meeting Wednesday night.

"And you taught my children that that god is Christian. And you taught my children that that god listens to prayers. And you taught my children thatgod answers them.

"My five and seven year old believe that because your school taught it to them," said Fevin.

"You have no right to teach my children that."

The prayer has been a mainstay at the schoolfor 40 years, until principal Garnet Goertzensuspended the practice this fallfollowingparents' objections.

School looking for guidance

The school of 380 studentsis now hoping for some guidance from the Sturgeon School Board.

"It's our desire to be an inclusive school and respect the rights of every one," said Goertzen.

Theboard expects the school to solve the issue on its own.

"I haven't got any problem with it either way," said chairman Terry Jewell."If the community wants it that's fine by me. If they don't want it's also fine."

Under provisions in the British North America Act, now part of the Canadian constitution, public schoolsin Alberta and Saskatchewancan offer religious educationifparentsso desire, said Jewell.

But dissenting parents said it's timethe Sturgeon School Divisioncatch up with the rest of the world.

"Just because you've always done something is not an argument for continuing to do something," said Fevin.

"The fact that we're having this argument is a little embarrassing."

Prayer could be held in gym

One parent at theboard meeting suggestedchildrenwho want to pray couldgo to the gym, whileothers remain in theirclassroom.

"It would be no different than moving my children to language arts room," she said.

While other parentspleaded withthe board to removethe right of schools torecite the prayer, it's unlikey to happen.

The boardsaid schools thatwant tocontinue reciting the Lord's Prayer must show it hascommunitysupport, possibly througha survey.

The school would then be asked topropose how it wouldaccomodatethose students who don't want to take part.

The issuecomes again before the board Oct. 26.