Can a school refuse a religious exemption from a class?

The Education and Training Act 2020 provides that state schools must be secular in the teaching of the curriculum, but the board can close the school for a limited period for religious instruction or observances, and parents can withdraw their children from religious instruction or observances. For other curriculum areas, such as sex education, the law requires the board to consult the school community on how health education is taught and to notify parents so that they can withdraw a child. For other activities, there is no automatic right to opt out, but schools must consider the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and the Human Rights Act on religious freedom. Write to the principal outlining your concerns and ask for reasonable alternatives.