Marginalization of believing children by the Quebec Minister of Education
We reproduce below an opinion letter with 7 co-signatories, sent yesterday to the main French-language and Catholic media in Quebec as well as to the AECQ and Minister Jean-François Roberge.
Minister Jean-François Roberge announced a new Quebec program that will replace the former Ethics and Religious Culture (ECR) program. It is called Culture et citoyenneté québécoise. It will be based on three axes: culture, Quebec citizenship, dialogue and critical thinking. Today, the Ministry of Education is going a long way, removing any religious content from the new curriculum. The Ministry also maintains the obligation for children of all ages to attend this course, whether in public or private school.
More than before, a new generation of parents will have to deal with the direct transmission to school of values that may be at odds with their own family and/or religious values. More than before, children who have a religious affiliation will feel left out. Thousands of parents had opposed the ECR programme for several reasons. They challenged the loss of choice between religious or moral courses. But they were particularly outraged and shocked by the obligation to attend a course that still does not respect their beliefs. The parents' case against ECR was taken to the Supreme Court of Canada, supported by the Coalition for Freedom in Education (CLÉ) and the Association des parents catholiques du Québec (APCQ) as well as the Association des communautés chrétiennes orthodoxes du Grand Montréal (ACCOM) and the Ligue catholique des droits humains (LCDH).
Since that time, parents have been deprived of their rights of scrutiny and decision as the first educators of their children, both by the Court and by the government. With this new program, this abuse of power will continue. In the ECR programme, the presentation of religious and moral beliefs contrary to their family values and the systematic questioning of their teachings have profoundly upset parents. They found themselves in the unfortunate and undeserved position of having to manage content that they considered harmful to their children. They feared the impact of school on their children's value systems and religious adherency. This impact has been felt and will be felt again, in the classroom, through group exchanges, exercises to do, readings, visits and meetings not authorized by parents, films and videos.
This new course, as announced, focused on trendy values and which removes the Christian foundations of critical, moral and religious thinking will pose an even greater challenge to parents. However, parents remain, it must be remembered, legally responsible for their children! That the state monopolizes the choice of values that children will absorb, remains a flagrant injustice! Families will once again have to experience the consequences on a daily basis!
The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec (AECQ), in its press release of October 25, 2021, says it is concerned and denounces this new program because of the evacuation of religious content, the marginalization of believers of all faiths and the risk of increased harm to them.
As announced, this new course does not include the decisive impact of Catholicism on the history of Quebec. Moreover, it ignores the importance of religion in students' lives, sabotaging parental efforts to give their children meaning in life and belonging to a community of faith.
Also, one of the objectives of the new program is to position itself "in the face of socio-cultural issues". The Catholic Church has a long history of continuous reflection on this subject. But the reference to the Church is not part of the content envisaged by the minister. So, what will be the basis of this new Quebec identity that the ministry wants to train with children?
In addition, the AECQ regrets that the new course does not recognize "the complementarity of ethics and religious culture for Quebec." On the contrary, the minister pointed out that it goes against Quebec values to define one's identity on the basis of one's religious affiliation. (See journal de Montréal, October 25, 2021, p.3). However, the majority of quebec's population includes religion in its definition and practice. The minister seems to believe that he is the custodian of Quebec values. But these are multiple and complex and include a religious dimension. Moral values rooted in religious traditions are often in opposition to values promoted by politicians and civil society.
More than before, the department is using its position of strength to shape Quebec's socio-cultural profile according to its values. More than before, he evacuated freedom of religion in the "Belle Province". When will the duty of parents be recognized and their responsibility in the education of their children respected? When will there be freedom of choice in school curricula? When will Christian parents have the right to receive a course according to their religious culture, beliefs and convictions?
Minister Jean-François Roberge announced a new Quebec program that will replace the former Ethics and Religious Culture (ECR) program. It is called Culture et citoyenneté québécoise. It will be based on three axes: culture, Quebec citizenship, dialogue and critical thinking. Today, the Ministry of Education is going a long way, removing any religious content from the new curriculum. The Ministry also maintains the obligation for children of all ages to attend this course, whether in public or private school.
More than before, a new generation of parents will have to deal with the direct transmission to school of values that may be at odds with their own family and/or religious values. More than before, children who have a religious affiliation will feel left out. Thousands of parents had opposed the ECR programme for several reasons. They challenged the loss of choice between religious or moral courses. But they were particularly outraged and shocked by the obligation to attend a course that still does not respect their beliefs. The parents' case against ECR was taken to the Supreme Court of Canada, supported by the Coalition for Freedom in Education (CLÉ) and the Association des parents catholiques du Québec (APCQ) as well as the Association des communautés chrétiennes orthodoxes du Grand Montréal (ACCOM) and the Ligue catholique des droits humains (LCDH).
Since that time, parents have been deprived of their rights of scrutiny and decision as the first educators of their children, both by the Court and by the government. With this new program, this abuse of power will continue. In the ECR programme, the presentation of religious and moral beliefs contrary to their family values and the systematic questioning of their teachings have profoundly upset parents. They found themselves in the unfortunate and undeserved position of having to manage content that they considered harmful to their children. They feared the impact of school on their children's value systems and religious adherency. This impact has been felt and will be felt again, in the classroom, through group exchanges, exercises to do, readings, visits and meetings not authorized by parents, films and videos.
This new course, as announced, focused on trendy values and which removes the Christian foundations of critical, moral and religious thinking will pose an even greater challenge to parents. However, parents remain, it must be remembered, legally responsible for their children! That the state monopolizes the choice of values that children will absorb, remains a flagrant injustice! Families will once again have to experience the consequences on a daily basis!
The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec (AECQ), in its press release of October 25, 2021, says it is concerned and denounces this new program because of the evacuation of religious content, the marginalization of believers of all faiths and the risk of increased harm to them.
As announced, this new course does not include the decisive impact of Catholicism on the history of Quebec. Moreover, it ignores the importance of religion in students' lives, sabotaging parental efforts to give their children meaning in life and belonging to a community of faith.
Also, one of the objectives of the new program is to position itself "in the face of socio-cultural issues". The Catholic Church has a long history of continuous reflection on this subject. But the reference to the Church is not part of the content envisaged by the minister. So, what will be the basis of this new Quebec identity that the ministry wants to train with children?
In addition, the AECQ regrets that the new course does not recognize "the complementarity of ethics and religious culture for Quebec." On the contrary, the minister pointed out that it goes against Quebec values to define one's identity on the basis of one's religious affiliation. (See journal de Montréal, October 25, 2021, p.3). However, the majority of quebec's population includes religion in its definition and practice. The minister seems to believe that he is the custodian of Quebec values. But these are multiple and complex and include a religious dimension. Moral values rooted in religious traditions are often in opposition to values promoted by politicians and civil society.
More than before, the department is using its position of strength to shape Quebec's socio-cultural profile according to its values. More than before, he evacuated freedom of religion in the "Belle Province". When will the duty of parents be recognized and their responsibility in the education of their children respected? When will there be freedom of choice in school curricula? When will Christian parents have the right to receive a course according to their religious culture, beliefs and convictions?