State schools should make individual decisions whether to offer religious education classes, says a Tauranga principal.
Brookfield Primary School principal Robert Hyndman, who is also president of the Western Bay Principals' Association, said it was up to each school to decide how its community felt. "It's something that we value here and nobody has raised any issues."
The comments follow the decision by Auckland's St Heliers School to remove religious classes from its timetable and offer them outside school hours, after several parents complained to the school and Human Rights Commission.
The complainants argued the Christian-based lessons discriminated against non-Christian families and should not be part of a secular programme. A UMR poll showed only 27 per cent of 1000 people surveyed felt New Zealand schools should include classes on Christianity taught from a Christian perspective.
Mr Hyndman said his school offered an interactive programme from an external Christian group "Cool Bananas" twice a term. "The kids look forward to it."