A masquerade, that’s just the only word I can think of to describe it. Quebec’s public school system has passed a measure that says that all children in elementary and high schools must take a course devoted to ethics and religion where they will be exposed to the religious traditions of a variety of faiths. By saying that they are appealing to a variety of religions without endorsing one in particular, they create an environment where all children must be exposed to the promotion of religion.
Of course, there was a lawsuit. And I have just read that the Quebec Supreme Court has ruled that nobody may be exempted from the course. Frankly, I would be unhappy if this course was presented in public schools as an optional class, but to make it mandatory is alarming and unethical.
Religions have places to spread their “religious facts”, as the Supreme Court’s Madam Justice Marie Dechamps called them. We call those places “churches” and “homes”. In schools, we focus on sharing actual facts. It’s an important distinction. Nobody is saying children cannot be exposed to religious instruction, but I would be the first to say that children should not be forced to be exposed to religious instruction.
My children do not live with me, and as such I have no control over what they are exposed to, but I can tell you that if they were living with me and I was told by their schools that they were required to learn about religion, I would be furious. That is my decision, not the school board’s to make for my child, and I would choose to raise any children in my care without religious indoctrination. To think that the public school system would feel the need to overrule me on this just makes me angry.
Fortunately, I live in Alberta. Despite our generally right-leaning population, we still enjoy a system where religious decisions are left in the hands of the parents. Should that threaten to change, I assure you that I would be quick and vocal in my outrage.
Way to go, Quebec. You’re allowing the religious to fool you into letting them indoctrinate every child with their beliefs. Congratulations on your decision to take liberties you don’t deserve and insult the families of countless of your citizens. I’m sure they’ll see you at election time.
Jim
Assuming it is not a ploy to create more Catholics, I think a bit of religion in education may be a good thing. The thing I remember about the Jim Jones converts is that many had not encountered any real religion before and so just took what he had to say at face value and were uplifted by the word (his version of it) . Jerry Falwell had no religious education and when he discovered religion, it made his world so right that he had to see it as the be all and end all that would make everyone’s world right. I appreciate what you are saying Jim, but I think my own background (heavily religious but diversified – yeah I’m a protestant who was taught how to say the rosary and understands catechism, and ate motza over passover) actually helps me spot charletons. No dogma is good dogma is my motto, but better to know the dogma other people are trying to sell you. A cultural understanding of religion(s) is not a bad thing in my mind. And I am not sure all parents get that. Depending on how it is handled, a religion class in school is not a bad thing. Of course if this is just a cover for more Catholics and anti-evolutions – save the sermonizing for church. The people who show up there actually want to hear that stuff.