B’luru school denies unauthorised Bible lessons, says 75% kids Christian

The principal further said that Clarence High School has been an unaided Christian minority institution, imparting education primarily to Christians and then, members of other communities since 1914.

A day after the education department ordered a probe against Bengaluru’s Clarence School over allegations of unauthorised Bible lessons, the school authorities have said that they have not violated the law and their legal team will respond to the notice issued by the block education officer.

Police personnel stand guard outside Clarence High School, in Bengaluru on Thursday. (HT)

The school categorically denied the allegation that non-Christian students were forced to learn the Bible and stated that only moral science lessons based on the Bible were imparted.

The school on Thursday held a press briefing, where principal Jerry George said, “The institution is privately owned and run by the Clarence Educational Trust. The Trust appointed the board of management and the principal.”

“We are recognised as a Christian minority educational institution. Thus, the majority of the students (more than 75%) in our school are from Christian families. We admit students of other faiths at their request with the full understanding that they are coming to a Christian school.” he said.

The principal further said that Clarence High School has been an unaided Christian minority institution, imparting education primarily to Christians and then, members of other communities since 1914.

The probe in the incident was ordered based on a video by a right-wing group, which made several allegations including Bible studies and conversions. Based on the video, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in a letter to the deputy commissioner and district magistrate of Bengaluru Urban, sought a probe against the school for allegedly imposing Christian religious views on children.

He further added that from inception only, Clarence High School has been teaching moral values among the students from Christian texts. “As a matter of fact, parents and students have appreciated the school for teaching moral values. The teaching of moral values has even invited more admissions to the school. Every candidate is well informed before admission and has always joined the ethos and culture of the school voluntarily. Therefore, the allegations made of conduct other than subscribing to the discipline and culture of the school voluntarily, is only an unfortunate interpretation,” he added in his statement.

Archbishop of Bangalore, Peter Machado, who was part of the press briefing by the school also refuted claims of students being “forced” to bring the Bible to school and allegations of forced religious conversions, saying Christian minority institutions were being targeted. “The burden of the allegation lies in providing tangible proof of conversion in the school,” he said.

Archbishop Machado also asked the Karnataka government to inquire into the number of students, who studied at Christian schools and have converted to Christianity in the last 100 years, as he defended the institution saying that the school conducted Bible or religious classes for Christian students before or after the school hours. “Let any member of the public provide even a single instance of conversion in hundreds of schools run by the Christian managements in the last few decades,” Machado said.

“It is not correct to paint all Christian schools with Bible colour. If the government wants to investigate the matter, let them conduct an inquiry. Let them find out how many children have been converted,” he said.

“Former vice-president LK Advani had stated that he had studied in a Christian school. Likewise, Union minister Piyush Goel had also studied in a Christian institution. The Christian education institutions have given many dignitaries to the society… They have attacked our churches, now schools. What is next? Christian hospitals?” the Archbishop asked.