One thing that stuck out to me is how some seem to think the author of a prayer somehow changes the content of it. The Dec 13 meeting was opened with this as the prayer:
Trustee Webber:
"I will now open in prayer, you may now stand if you like.
"God, the creator, we your people humbly come before you tonight. We thank you for your love, your guidance, your family and your community. We pray for honesty, humility, courage and integrity in everything we do this evening. We ask your blessing for our children, our teachers and our leaders. God, please help us in everything that we do. Help us to express our thoughts and concerns honestly and clearly, that we may be heard and understood. Help us to speak life into those around us today, of hope rather than hurt, and of love rather than pain. Amen.
"I would like to thank the McLeod Lake Indian Band elders who created that prayer."
Is that a Christian prayer? Judged on the content, yes. The prayer didn't invoke Buddah, Allah, or any Sikh, Hindu or other religious deities.
Is the defence of saying a Christian prayer that elders for the McLeod Lake Indian Band can not be Christian and therefor didn't write a Christian prayer? Because that is nonsense - apparently according to the 2011 Census, 63% of Indigenous respondents identified as Christian (I tried to get more recent numbers, but all I could find with the 2021 Census data is that 53% of Indigenous people reported having religious affiliation, with half of that amount being Catholic).
Either way, it's a Christian prayer said before a school board meeting. It's horseshit. The meeting shouldn't have started that way, it shouldn't have been said, and I don't care who wrote it, but they can fuck right off with their royal "we" in that prayer. I am a parent with children in schools of this district - in no way or manner are I or my children praying to their god and asking for anything. It's offensive and insulting that Trustee Webber and Chief Chingee can't accept that.
Prayer was removed from the BC School Act. Compulsory prayer goes against our Charter Rights. The chair of a meeting starting a school board meeting with a prayer that speaks for all there, without consent of those it proposes to speak for, is wrong.
This is a very good recap of events and points out some very worrisome issues with this board. They are elected by the public and they should not be hiding behind closed door meetings.
The dysfunction resembles that of other school boards (just different varieties of the same), and other governmental institutions. Anyone see good governance around Site C, Public Health, BC Ferries … list is endless, governance is not for the people nor by the people.
It’s interesting to read this legacy within the board despite an almost entirely new board. Is this something being taught and handed down with each new set of trustees. Do we lack proper orientation to their roles.
Thank you for this write-up Andrew.
One thing that stuck out to me is how some seem to think the author of a prayer somehow changes the content of it. The Dec 13 meeting was opened with this as the prayer:
Trustee Webber:
"I will now open in prayer, you may now stand if you like.
"God, the creator, we your people humbly come before you tonight. We thank you for your love, your guidance, your family and your community. We pray for honesty, humility, courage and integrity in everything we do this evening. We ask your blessing for our children, our teachers and our leaders. God, please help us in everything that we do. Help us to express our thoughts and concerns honestly and clearly, that we may be heard and understood. Help us to speak life into those around us today, of hope rather than hurt, and of love rather than pain. Amen.
"I would like to thank the McLeod Lake Indian Band elders who created that prayer."
Is that a Christian prayer? Judged on the content, yes. The prayer didn't invoke Buddah, Allah, or any Sikh, Hindu or other religious deities.
Is the defence of saying a Christian prayer that elders for the McLeod Lake Indian Band can not be Christian and therefor didn't write a Christian prayer? Because that is nonsense - apparently according to the 2011 Census, 63% of Indigenous respondents identified as Christian (I tried to get more recent numbers, but all I could find with the 2021 Census data is that 53% of Indigenous people reported having religious affiliation, with half of that amount being Catholic).
Either way, it's a Christian prayer said before a school board meeting. It's horseshit. The meeting shouldn't have started that way, it shouldn't have been said, and I don't care who wrote it, but they can fuck right off with their royal "we" in that prayer. I am a parent with children in schools of this district - in no way or manner are I or my children praying to their god and asking for anything. It's offensive and insulting that Trustee Webber and Chief Chingee can't accept that.
Prayer was removed from the BC School Act. Compulsory prayer goes against our Charter Rights. The chair of a meeting starting a school board meeting with a prayer that speaks for all there, without consent of those it proposes to speak for, is wrong.
Very comprehensive piece.
Though it answers no questions directly I can clearly see mud in the water.
This is a very good recap of events and points out some very worrisome issues with this board. They are elected by the public and they should not be hiding behind closed door meetings.
The dysfunction resembles that of other school boards (just different varieties of the same), and other governmental institutions. Anyone see good governance around Site C, Public Health, BC Ferries … list is endless, governance is not for the people nor by the people.
It’s interesting to read this legacy within the board despite an almost entirely new board. Is this something being taught and handed down with each new set of trustees. Do we lack proper orientation to their roles.