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4 _ Waterioo Chronicle, Wednesday, June 12, 1974 Regional police ‘chief Wilf Henrich asked the commission last week to take a long, hard look at the possibility of hiring policewomen. | Published every Wednesday by Fairway Press, a division of Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Record Ltd. 225 Fairway Rd . Kitâ€" chener. _ Ontario. _ Address correspondence to Waterloo Square. Waterloo, Ont. Telephone 744â€"6364. That report notes there has been a conspicuâ€" ous absence of reference to female police ofâ€" ficers in the Police Act regulations. An overâ€" sight? Perhaps, but more likely it is due to the logic (illogic would best describe it) disâ€" played by commissioners like our Judge Kirkâ€" patrick. . Last week Chief Henrich said he has already received (unsolicited) 11 applications from woâ€" men seeking employment with the Waterloo force. Henrich said most have either university or college education which is well above the minimal educational requirement. Chief Henrich believes it‘s about time our police force realized the necessity of hiring feâ€" male officers. You‘d better believe it is. According to the recent study on policing in this province forces are encouraged to recruit both male and female "with equal opportunity for advancement for all members". Equal opportunity, as the report noted, is the key. If not they will surely be branded "chauvinist pigs . Last of the chauvinists It seems odd that in this day and age a police commission might turn a deaf ear to such sugâ€" gestions. Last year the board chairman, Judge J.R.H. Kirkpatrick, said he could not see the reasoning behind hiring female personnel beâ€" cause of the salaties involved. We suppose his justification for sfich logic is the lack of duties a woman might be able to handle. That was last year. This year, in the judge‘s absence, the comâ€" mission has requested a full report that would specify the duties a policewoman would be exâ€" pected to carry out. We suspect that list will be somewhat longer than most might think. Toâ€" day we all realize (at least we should) that the premise "anything you can do......"" typifies the female attitude. e Women having the qualifications necessary should be recruited. Evidence, according to the task force, indiâ€" cates that female police officers can perform duties comparable to their male counterparts. We trust our police commission will view the report they have requested from Henrich with an open mind. And arrive at the decision that should have been reached years ago. Waterloo Chronicle ESTABLISHED 1854 In Canada: one year $8; in United States and Foreign countries: one year $10 Viewpoint SUBSCRIPTION RATES Editor: Don McCurdy The second recommendation is "that a proâ€" gram of study in moral reasoning be introduced into the curriculum of the elementary schools of the region." In its accompanying remarks, the committee notes "the obligation of public schools to foster the moral development of children."" (It is a legal obligation, among othâ€" ers.) The committee also ‘"recognizes that in a pluralistic society moral choices are not alâ€" ways clear or obvious and that students would benefit from a program designed to give chilâ€" dren insights into the process of moral reasonâ€" ing. The aim of the program would be to assist children in values clarification rather than to inculcate any specific moral code." Originally I was rather opposed to this recâ€" ommendation. I am suspicious of "official" moralities and fearful of "group think." Howâ€" ever, in the course of its labours the committee surveyed several programs in "values clarificaâ€" tion ‘ used in other jurisdictions. I came away convinced that an effective program can be deâ€" vised for heightening the moral awareness of students without indoctrination or confusion. Because I personally believe that religion is too important a part of human experience for schools to ignore (as they generally do now, despite Regulation 191), because I believe that the study of religion should be done as objectiveâ€" ly as possible, and because approval of this recommendation only means that a committee of teachers and officials will then draft a posâ€" sible course for the approval of the board at a later date, I shall support this recommendaâ€" tion. * The first is "that a program of study in world religions be introduced into the curriculum of ‘the elementary schools of the region." In accompanying comments, the committee reâ€" marks that the aim of the recommendation is to "introduce students to several world religions, perhaps with major ceremonial occasions (such as Christmas, Passover, Ramadan) servâ€" ing as the points of departure.‘" The committee adds that, "since Christianity is the dominant religion in Canada, it would likely receive more emphasis than other religions as a consequence. The aim is to acquaint students, not only with religionâ€"in general, but with the religions of this society in particular." By Don Baker * Trustee, Waterloo County Board of Education Tomorrow the Board of Education will disâ€" cuss the report brought in by its committee on religion in the schools. At the end of last week‘s column, which dealt with the report‘s descripâ€" tion of present practices in the region and its recommendation to seek exemption from Reguâ€" lation 191, I promised to turn next to the comâ€" mittee‘s proposed alternatives. These take the form of three major recommendations. More on religion in school a fair and reasonable one for this community in 1974, and for that reason I intend to vote for it as well. Personally, I believe that prayers should be a private matter and not public rituals (Jesus made the point very well). I also believe that in an increasingly diverse community publiclyâ€" supported schools are not the proper forum for devotional exercises. However, I also beâ€" lieve that the committee‘s recommendation is This recommendation would not change presâ€" ent practices a good deal. While it would curâ€" tail the practices of a few teachers, it would simply regularize the practice of the majoriâ€" ty. Not to set some limit would be to have nog policy, and the absence of policy might cor! ceivably encourage or at least permit. abuse arising out of excessive zeal on the part of a teacher. To set a looser limit did not strike the committee as desirable. The scripture reading, for example, is frequently left out of exercises now because of the resistance of teachers and students. Only bland governmentallyâ€"approved passages are supposed to be read. In such cirâ€" cumstances, many religious spokesmen believe that the.reading should be dropped. It creates a befuddled antagonism to the Bible in many students. In addition, the committee was diverse in composition. Views of all sorts were expressed by its members. Among them were: a Mennoâ€" nite opposition to any mixing of state and reliâ€" gion; humanistâ€"libertarian opposition to the imâ€" position of religious rituals on children; reâ€" ligious advocacy of no limits at all on devoâ€" tional exercises; religious advocacy of interâ€" mediate positions; and purely practical politiâ€" cal views. The third recommendation is "that in the elementary and secondary schools of the region devotional exercises shall consist of no more than the Lord‘s Prayer or a prayer of universal character." In its accompanying observation, the committee states that it "distinguishes beâ€" tween the treatment of religion as an academic subject and indoctrination or devotional exerâ€" cises. This recommendation is not intended to eliminate the use of religious materials (for example, songs, writings, prayers, exercises) as resource materials in classes. It is intended to define the limits of devotional exercises or ritual observances in the (public) schools of the county."‘ o Prior to the implementation of either of thes@ first two recommendations, it should be addâ€" ed, teachers would receive extensive inâ€"service training. ’ So, again mindful that the actual program will have to be approved by the board before it can be implemented, I will support this recomâ€" mendation. " SUN SyHIDKCATG y evy v ht ty 3.