The firestorm that has enveloped the country over a Ministry of Education memorandum to principals of schools across the country is another indication that something has spooked some parents and a significant section of the Barbados population about the state’s intentions for the practice of religious beliefs.
The issue has been simmering for quite a while, and we believe the time has come for the country to confront the latent unease about the future relationship between church and state.
There are many in the church community who are convinced the country is fast heading to a stage where religion will be regarded as an interloper in schools and other places of influence in our society.
In the now controversial memo from the Ministry, it was stated in part: “There should be no general assembly of students at any time in the face-to-face modality. For example, there should be no whole-school prayers, year group prayers or house prayers. Where possible, students should be allowed to engage in ‘mindfulness sessions’ in their classrooms while following the COVID-19 protocols.”
We hold that as a result of an obvious level of distrust between many Christian religious groups and state, a hostile and cynical response came from some church leaders.
“The Government of Barbados, at a time of an unknown and shaky future, where at every turn, there are problems internally and internationally, are proposing to stop a faith-based activity. . . . PRAYER in our schools. Instead, the Government is now saying to us, the electorate, that this is now a time, of all times, to turn to an evidence-based, secular mode for our children. . . . “They want the children to be able to meet for “mindfulness” activities but not to meet for prayer!” was the response of a The Spiritually Aware Group.
The Ministry of Education, in its efforts to prepare for a return to face-to-face classes, is under immense pressure to ensure that all the necessary processes are in place for the coming Monday start.
New Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, and equally new Minister of Education Kay McConney, are both confronting one of the many challenges facing this Ministry. Many will be keenly observing how these two female leaders perform under the pressure of this pandemic.
The teachers’ unions – the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) – will also be monitoring the Ministry’s effectiveness in managing this process. The Ministry will certainly not want to be accused of rushing to please some frustrated parents but neglecting the concerns of the other constituents in the process.
But one is forced to ask why are so many religious leaders in this country on edge? Why do they believe that religion is being relegated to secular activities and positions?
Even during the height of the pandemic, some churches were debating whether the state’s COVID -19 mitigation measures represented some form of unfair infringement of religious freedom and an attempt to muzzle or frustrate the church community.
The seeming friction between Government and religious bodies was also on display when Government introduced legislation as part of the Welcome Stamp Visa initiative that recognised the eligibility of same-sex couples under the programmes.
The controversy started with some global citizens taking offence to the content of Barbados’ online forms for the Welcome Stamp visa which defined a spouse as a mixed-sex partner and appearing to exclude same-sex couples.
With the island finding itself in dicey waters over the matter, Prime Minister Mottley sought to make it clear that Barbados was a country that “welcomes all” and rejects discrimination.
Addressing the matter in Parliament during debate on the legislation, Mottley said: “There is an issue as to who Barbados will welcome and who it will not welcome. . . . I want to say as long as I am Prime Minister of this nation, we welcome all, everyone.”
These episodes, and there have been other flare-ups, reinforce the need for there to be some reckoning of these cultural and religious issues. The country needs to know where it stands on these matters because the evolving global landscape will demand a definitive stand from Barbados.
We do not have far to look to establish that such issues have a way of snowballing and becoming enveloped in wider political and social debates.
In the United States of American, issues surrounding schools, mask mandates, politics, race, and sexual orientation, have become intertwined, forming a caustic and destabilising force.
The current administration has much on its hands, as it seeks to move Barbados’ economy from stabilisation to growth. Too much has been lost over the past two years. However, in its planning, it must not fail to confront these issues which remain core subject to their existence.
