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Many British Columbians are open to allowing both mindfulness meditation and Christian prayer in public schools, according to a poll conducted for Postmedia News.

There is little enthusiasm, though, for First Nations prayers or “smudging” ceremonies, with more opposed than favouring the practices, which have recently been the subject of legal action in B.C.

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These are two of the surprising results of a Mainstreet Research poll of 5,500 British Columbians, conducted on the eve of Easter, that probed several thorny issues related to religion and education.

* The poll found 45 per cent of British Columbians oppose even partly funding private schools, whether they’re religious or not.

* British Columbians were mixed on many spiritual issues, with 42 per cent believing “mindfulness meditation should be allowed in public schools.” Just 35 per cent opposed the meditative practice which teachers are increasingly teaching their public-school students. It is linked most strongly with Buddhist and Hindu spirituality.