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NEW.BRUNSWICK (CBC) - The Boyd sisters have been raised singing the national anthem every day, but a New Brunswick school has silenced their morning ritual.
These days, the only time Julia Boyd, 11, gets to belt out the anthem's lyrics is at monthly school assemblies, other special occasions or at home with her older sister Kara.
That's because singing O Canada is no longer a daily morning event at Belleisle Elementary. The school's principal has dropped it in response to concerns from other parents.
"It makes me sad, upset," Julia said. "I didn't feel very good about it."
Julia said the national anthem is one way that she feels closer to the Canadian soldiers who are serving overseas.
The girls' cousin Pte. David Robert Greenslade was killed in Afghanistan in April 2007. Greenslade was one of six Canadian soldiers killed and two others injured when their armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb west of Kandahar City.
"I like singing O Canada every day, and it reminds me of the troops that are over there," she said.
For Susan Boyd, the girls' mother, the anthem is one of the most important lessons for students.
"And not only sing the anthem but talk about the anthem so the children will understand what it means, where it came from," Boyd said. "What all the words [to the anthem] mean so they will know and take pride, and they should take pride."
Whether to sing the national anthem appears to be a delicate matter in the small southern New Brunswick community.
Erik Millett, the school's principal, said he made the decision partly to accommodate parents who didn't want their children taking part in the daily anthem.
"We try to balance the needs of every student, and we want every student to feel welcome in our school," Millett said.
"And part of our school and included in that and if we need to make some accommodations or exceptions then we'll try to put those in place regardless of what the issue is."
Nearly all elementary students in the district sing the anthem every day. But that decision is up to each school.
Annette Pollock has a grandson at the school and she also counts herself as among those upset about the kids' inability to sing the national anthem daily inside the classroom.
"He goes to hockey. It's pretty bad when you have to wait for hockey to teach him O Canada instead of in the schools," she said of her grandson.
"I'm sure he'll learn it. They play it at every game."
Susan Boyd isn't giving up the fight to bring the national song back to the classrooms in Belleisle Elementary, however.
She said she's hoping that she and other parents can convince the school to bring back the daily anthem.
The school principal, however, says it's not simply about O Canada. He said the province needs to take a closer look at the issue and stand on guard for all students
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/090128/canada/canada_newbrunswick_nb_o_canada_1
How long do instances such as this have to go on before somebody steps up and smacks somebody in the face. I remember a situation like this at a local school where the Christmas Trees were taken down because of similar reasons. Articles like this infuriate me.
These days, the only time Julia Boyd, 11, gets to belt out the anthem's lyrics is at monthly school assemblies, other special occasions or at home with her older sister Kara.
That's because singing O Canada is no longer a daily morning event at Belleisle Elementary. The school's principal has dropped it in response to concerns from other parents.
"It makes me sad, upset," Julia said. "I didn't feel very good about it."
Julia said the national anthem is one way that she feels closer to the Canadian soldiers who are serving overseas.
The girls' cousin Pte. David Robert Greenslade was killed in Afghanistan in April 2007. Greenslade was one of six Canadian soldiers killed and two others injured when their armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb west of Kandahar City.
"I like singing O Canada every day, and it reminds me of the troops that are over there," she said.
For Susan Boyd, the girls' mother, the anthem is one of the most important lessons for students.
"And not only sing the anthem but talk about the anthem so the children will understand what it means, where it came from," Boyd said. "What all the words [to the anthem] mean so they will know and take pride, and they should take pride."
Whether to sing the national anthem appears to be a delicate matter in the small southern New Brunswick community.
Erik Millett, the school's principal, said he made the decision partly to accommodate parents who didn't want their children taking part in the daily anthem.
"We try to balance the needs of every student, and we want every student to feel welcome in our school," Millett said.
"And part of our school and included in that and if we need to make some accommodations or exceptions then we'll try to put those in place regardless of what the issue is."
Nearly all elementary students in the district sing the anthem every day. But that decision is up to each school.
Annette Pollock has a grandson at the school and she also counts herself as among those upset about the kids' inability to sing the national anthem daily inside the classroom.
"He goes to hockey. It's pretty bad when you have to wait for hockey to teach him O Canada instead of in the schools," she said of her grandson.
"I'm sure he'll learn it. They play it at every game."
Susan Boyd isn't giving up the fight to bring the national song back to the classrooms in Belleisle Elementary, however.
She said she's hoping that she and other parents can convince the school to bring back the daily anthem.
The school principal, however, says it's not simply about O Canada. He said the province needs to take a closer look at the issue and stand on guard for all students
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/090128/canada/canada_newbrunswick_nb_o_canada_1
How long do instances such as this have to go on before somebody steps up and smacks somebody in the face. I remember a situation like this at a local school where the Christmas Trees were taken down because of similar reasons. Articles like this infuriate me.
