God Save the King will once again be heard in Dauphin-area schools, division says

A school division in western Manitoba has decided to once again include God Save the King in its schools’ morning announcements.

The Mountain View School Division, which oversees schools in Dauphin and the surrounding area, says the royal anthem will be included in announcements along with O Canada and land acknowledgments.

Manitoba legislation outlines that portions of O Canada must be played at the start of the school day and God Save the King should be played at the end of the day.

However, the tradition has not been enforced for many years, with many school divisions abandoning the use of God Save the King.

Mountain View School Division chair Jason Gryba says while the legislation has become less prominent over time, it is still up to the board to uphold it as long as it is valid.

Organizations representing teachers and school boards say they have concerns about how parents and educators were consulted on the decision.