From my “life’s too short” file.

I read with utter dismay over the weekend the case of the father taking his child’s school, and the Attorney General no less, to court over bible studies classes.

What is it about religion that gets people so steamed up?

I don’t know the ins and outs of the particular case, but in a nut shell: Dad doesn't want his kid in the class, the school runs an opt-out system. He opted out but they keep sticking her in.

It sounds a problem, it sounds like one of those headaches you don’t need. But at what point does that lead to calling lawyers and dragging the Attorney General to court?

The school board is dragged to court for breaching its duties under the Education Act, the Attorney General for…you ready for this, passing legislation inconsistent with the bill of rights.

The problem with that last argument is that the gentleman concerned in this case clearly hasn't worked out, or been told by his counsel, that parliament is in fact the highest court in the land and can override any court decision at any time it likes.

In other words, this bloke’s wasting his time.

I feel sorry for the school board. School boards are run by volunteers who by in large have busy lives and do the board work out of the goodness of their hearts and a sense of community spirit. Their job is a tough one involving limited resources, often limited experience, and many hours in the school hall away from their families.

Being dragged to court is a headache they don’t need. And that’s before you get to the bit where court costs money and I doubt there would be many who would argue that giving money to lawyers instead of kids and classrooms is money well spent.

Schools have a hell of a tough road these days. Too many parents are experts, too many parents want the moon, and too many parents want schools to snap to attention, be instantly answerable.

The respect seems to have drained if not gone all together.

Schools aren't perfect; some schools aren't up to what they should be. Not all schools do and deliver things the way we would or should, but overall schools do an amazing job with our kids and it’s a largely thankless task.

A bit of bible class isn't going to kill anyone. You might not agree with what’s taught, you might want to tell your kids something different from what they learn at school if that your particular belief.

The same way economics and politics at high school and university is a highly partisan practice, the same way climate change is taught these days.
If you’re going to take everything literally and get exercised about everything that’s delivered in a classroom that doesn't line up with your way of thinking or viewing the world, you’re going to spend a lot of time stressed and on hold to a lawyer.

The lesson here is perspective, being opposed to something is one thing, dragging an Attorney General to court because of it? Put perspective out the window and it puts it into the realm of the absurd.