The Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday rejected moves by predominantly Afrikaans parents of Newcastle High School to retain the Christian form of religious worship.
The chairperson of the school governing body (SGB), Dr Prithipaul Ramkissoon, said in court papers that the school’s religious policy is intolerant of religions other than Christianity and the SGB resolved last year to bring the school’s religious practices in line with government policy by accommodating all faiths.
The school, previously white-only, had 992 pupils last year, of whom 361 were white, 399 African, 189 Indian and Chinese and 43 of mixed race.
A parent, Francois Lichtenstein, claimed that 73% of pupils are of the Christian faith and that a survey showed that 83% of pupils want Christian worship to continue as the main form of worship.
Heated debates and accusations, including allegations that people want to promote Islam, have followed a suggestion by the SGB to allow a minute’s silence to be kept instead of Christian worship.
Ramkissoon alleged that discrimination is still practised at the school.
He said that black pupils are punished more severely than whites, Afrikaans classes ware smaller, rugby is favoured by teachers and receives more financial support than soccer, staff ware predominantly white and largely white areas are better served by school transport.
The SGB was elected last year and some members believe that the religious policy at the school promotes sectarianism and fails to take into account the multi-religious nature of the school population.
At the SGB’s first meeting a member, Yunus Kader asked that the school bring its religious policy in line with government policy.
Ramkissoon said that the principal, Jan du Toit, proposed a segregation of pupils for religious observance, but Ramkissoon said that this would harm the wellbeing of pupils and result in peer pressure on pupils not to be identified as ”different”.
The SGB resolved to implement national policy, recommending a moment of silence as an interim measure.
”After two days Du Toit said this was unacceptable and was reverting to the previous prayers.”
Ramkissoon said that Du Toit and white Afrikaans staff will not accept all religions praying together.
Letters were written to the national and KwaZulu-Natal ministers of education, to the South African Human Rights Commission and others.
Ramkissoon said white pupils ”clandestinely approached black pupils to encourage their parents to overthrow the SGB. Black parents were told that the school’s religious policy would be replaced by Islam.”
At a meeting with the KwaZulu-Natal provincial minister for education, Ina Cronje, she suggested a universal prayer to resolve the religious dispute. — Sapa