The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada stood before the Supreme Court of Canada on May 18 in defence of the parental right to decide on education — particularly the religious education — of their children.
In 2008, the Quebec government introduced the controversial Ethics and Religion and Culture (ERC) program as mandatory in all schools. With the goal of teaching “harmonious social relations,” the grade one to 11 program instructs on the place of religion – Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Native Spiritualism, etc – in Quebec’s history.
[Blog comment: even religions on Quebec's history with very little impact are taught are taught: Hindouism, Buddhism. In high school, new religious movements such as Wicca are studied, see here, as well as atheism.]
While there may be good intent, the development of a curriculum that regards all religions as equal and without distinct and true claims on the life of believers provides an unbalanced view. The program also regards ethics arising from a communal or conversational and situational basis, without regard for religious claims of absolute truth being foundational in both belief and practice.
The ERC has been criticized by secularists for imposing instruction on religion — and by people in the faith community for imposing inaccurate instruction about religious beliefs and practices. In short, the ERC does not recognize the legitimacy of the sincerely held religious beliefs of Christians — or any other faith community.
Although the program is not a requirement for graduation, every student is compelled by law to attend, without exception. This applies to public schools, private schools, religious schools, and home schooling.
Some evangelical parents have noted the benefit of having the place of religious contribution to the development of Quebec society recognized. Others are greatly concerned about the impact, on their children, of parental authority on religious instruction challenged by the authority of the teacher.
“The right to pass on one’s religious and cultural heritage to their children is a fundamental aspect of religious freedom and parental authority in Canada,” noted Faye Sonier, EFC legal counsel.
In addition to parental concern, several teachers are concerned that they are required to teach the program which inaccurately depicts their personal faith and does not permit them to teach from that faith perspective.
“The goal of the ERC – to develop ‘attitudes of tolerance, respect and openness’ in order to prepare children ‘to live in a pluralist and democratic society’ – is betrayed by the very lack of tolerance, respect and openness to pluralism and democracy that is demonstrated in the curriculum itself, and by the Government of Quebec’s approach to mandatory instruction,” said Don Hutchinson, EFC’s general legal counsel.
Source : CanadaWatch
In 2008, the Quebec government introduced the controversial Ethics and Religion and Culture (ERC) program as mandatory in all schools. With the goal of teaching “harmonious social relations,” the grade one to 11 program instructs on the place of religion – Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Native Spiritualism, etc – in Quebec’s history.
[Blog comment: even religions on Quebec's history with very little impact are taught are taught: Hindouism, Buddhism. In high school, new religious movements such as Wicca are studied, see here, as well as atheism.]
While there may be good intent, the development of a curriculum that regards all religions as equal and without distinct and true claims on the life of believers provides an unbalanced view. The program also regards ethics arising from a communal or conversational and situational basis, without regard for religious claims of absolute truth being foundational in both belief and practice.
The ERC has been criticized by secularists for imposing instruction on religion — and by people in the faith community for imposing inaccurate instruction about religious beliefs and practices. In short, the ERC does not recognize the legitimacy of the sincerely held religious beliefs of Christians — or any other faith community.
Although the program is not a requirement for graduation, every student is compelled by law to attend, without exception. This applies to public schools, private schools, religious schools, and home schooling.
Some evangelical parents have noted the benefit of having the place of religious contribution to the development of Quebec society recognized. Others are greatly concerned about the impact, on their children, of parental authority on religious instruction challenged by the authority of the teacher.
“The right to pass on one’s religious and cultural heritage to their children is a fundamental aspect of religious freedom and parental authority in Canada,” noted Faye Sonier, EFC legal counsel.
In addition to parental concern, several teachers are concerned that they are required to teach the program which inaccurately depicts their personal faith and does not permit them to teach from that faith perspective.
“The goal of the ERC – to develop ‘attitudes of tolerance, respect and openness’ in order to prepare children ‘to live in a pluralist and democratic society’ – is betrayed by the very lack of tolerance, respect and openness to pluralism and democracy that is demonstrated in the curriculum itself, and by the Government of Quebec’s approach to mandatory instruction,” said Don Hutchinson, EFC’s general legal counsel.
Source : CanadaWatch
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