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by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services
INUVIK (OCT 10/96) - Inuvik District Education Authority candidates were peppered with questions from parents last week, who argued for the return of religious instruction to Inuvik schools.
Nearly 70 people attended an all-candidates forum at Samuel Hearne, which invited DEA candidates for the upcoming Oct. 21 election to present their platforms.
While candidates presented a wide variety of approaches each would take to improve the local education system, many of the questions from the audience were focused on religious education.
As of this year, it is illegal to teach religious education in NWT schools during regular school hours. That new component of the Education Act had many parents at the meeting riled.
"I believe our children should be taught about the Lord, about God," said one woman from the audience. "I want religious education in school."
She said the violence problem at schools would be much improved if students learned moral values offered in religious studies. "Maybe they would hear something in the class that would make them think," she said.
Candidate Arlene Hansen said she would support religious instruction at the school outside of classroom time, after school or on the weekends.
"I'm not too sure I agree with that," argued one man, after hearing religious instruction is now contrary to the Education Act. He said that a clause exists in the Act which gives an education council the opportunity to approach the Minister of Education directly to lobby a change of the statutes regarding religious instruction.
"Would you be interested in seeking out the possibilities of reinstating?" he asked the candidates.
Most candidates argued against religious education during school hours, despite the large number in the audience who seemed to support it. One candidate questioned whether the public at the meeting truly represented a cross-section of the town. An audience member in favor of religious instruction said he thought they did represent the majority view.
Many candidates spoke out against the idea, many noting absenteeism, violence and quality of education weighed more highly in their priorities.
"If you want to teach it right in the classroom in a formal setting, well, I don't think that's absolutely necessary. We need to explore other options," said Bob Simpson. "It seems close to 75 per cent of the questions are just on this one topic. I think there's a lot more to education besides religious instruction. I think there's a lot of other focuses we could have instead of dealing with this one controversial issue."
Other concerns soon emerged from the public at the meeting. One man questioned the absenteeism problem among students. Last week, only 78 of 299 students at Samuel Hearne school finished the week with perfect attendance records.
"I know the responsibility lies with parents" to get kids to school, he said, "but there are so many parents who don't have the skills to get up in the morning themselves, let alone get their kids to school." He asked candidates what they would do to improve the problem.
Speaking about violence on the schools, one man said "this board and this town has to support (teachers) who provide discipline in schools, because school at times is so rowdy, the kids interested in learning don't want to go because they'll get roughed up."
Other issues were also addressed by candidates included: poor parental involvement; standardizing testing for all grades;
revamping the report card system; teen lack of motivation and self-esteem; and bussing.