Article content continued

While Hennenfent said she and her children have a good relationship with Lindale School overall, she believes the recital of the prayer may be harmful and has started a petition asking for amendments to the Education Act.

Under Section 182(3) of the Education Act, authorities or divisions are allowed to approve the reading of the Lord’s Prayer, but “a student may be excused from participating in these exercises or any courses of religious instruction.”

“Honestly, I don’t understand the purpose of (the recital of the prayer),” Hennenfent said, noting while she would be in favour of a comparative religion class, she feels the prayer itself may isolate certain members of the school community.

“Is this is a school-sponsored religion?” she asked. “Is there recognition that not all students are Christian and if there’s recognition of that, is the purpose that perhaps maybe they all should be Christian?”

With both Saskatchewan and Moose Jaw becoming more culturally and religiously diverse, she said the recital does not respect or value that diversity.

Tony Baldwin, director of education with Prairie South, said the division is abiding by all laws and is satisfied with the SCC’s work. He said the issue provided an opportunity for the current board to gauge response on reciting the prayer, a long-standing tradition in the school, from the community.

“That was something that (the community) valued as part of their school community and would like see continue,” he said. “Every side of the issue was examined pretty thoroughly,” he said.