Chilliwack Times

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New policy has humanists alarmed

The Chilliwack school board is facing opposition to a proposed distribution-of-materials policy that makes no mention of religion or Bibles.

Three Gideons petition presented

A small local contingent looking to publicly present the Chilliwack school board with a petition supporting Gideon Bibles in local public schools had to settle for a private presentation last Tuesday.

Multiple petitions to keep Gideons

Multiple petitions are now competing for the attention of Chilliwack school officials as they prepare to decide whether or not to allow free Bibles to be distributed at local public schools.

The weak end up as atheists

Who is this Richard Ajabu, who is so concerned about children learning about Christianity, grace and forgiveness in Christ?

Religion in schools not so cut and dry

B.C. school boards have more wiggle room for giving out free Bibles than for passing deficit budgets, according to a Ministry of Education letter sent to Chilliwack parent Richard Ajabu last week.

2012 Year in Review: October

Skateboard, scooter and BMX riders on the south side of the city had a new destination as the Webster Skate Park finally opened.

Good, bad, postponed

So here we are, Anne-of-Green-Gables-style, at the beginning of a whole new year with no mistakes in it yet.

Bibles, kids, and Multicultural Man

When Richard Ajabu's daughter brought home a consent form from the Gideons, asking if he approved of her receiving a free Youth Testament, he could have crumpled up the form and been done with it. But his aversion to the Bible is so strong that he is offended that a Christian group is even permitted to offer it to his child.

Separating church & state

When Richard Ajabu's daughter brought home a consent form from the Gideons, asking if he approved of her receiving a free Youth Testament, he could have crumpled up the form and been done with it.

District deletes Bible regulation

The Chilliwack school board heard from secularists, evangelical Christians, Gideons, Muslims and one high school student at a packed, standing-room-only board meeting Tuesday before voting to delete a regulation that endorsed the distribution of free Bibles at local public schools.

Investigating God's 'creep'

The controversy around handing out free Bibles in school districts such as Abbotsford and Chilliwack has prompted a call for Education Minister Don McRae to investigate whether religion is creeping into some B.C. public schools.

Not all letters deserved printing

The shock and outrage expressed by some Christians in response to Richard Ajabu's suggestion that the distribution of Bibles in public schools should be stopped is unfortunate. These people have apparently not read section 76 of the School Act, which reads:

Some showing great disrespect

The tyrannical reactions to the Gideon Bible controversy make it clear why our school district still approves this 1946 regulation promoting Christian doctrine through schools coincidentally located in the Bible belt where several school administrators are themselves of a Christian faith.

Intolerance at the heart of the issue

I have no objection to the Gide-ons, nor anyone else, asking to have their Bibles distributed to school children, on the approval of the parents. In this, I disagree with Richard Ajabu.

Board will discuss free-Bible policy

Legal advice has prompted the Chilliwack school board to reconsider its regulation allowing free Bibles to be given out at local public schools, according to a Ministry of Education spokesperson.

Backlash to Bible grows

A local parent wants B.C.'s education minister to stop the Chilliwack school district from allowing free Bibles to be handed out at local public schools, because he says the practice violates provincial law.