OTTAWA – Tomorrow the Supreme Court of Canada will rule on whether Quebec’s ministry of education can require a religious school to teach a course about ethical decision-making and the role of religion in culture from a non-religious perspective in
Loyola v. Quebec. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) was an intervener in this case.
“The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada affirms a provincial government’s interest in setting curricula and promoting learning outcomes for students,” says EFC President Bruce Clemenger. “How a religious school reaches those outcomes is properly left to the school.”
The EFC asked the court to clarify:
- The place of religion, religious individuals, communities and corporations within Canada’s free and democratic society;
- What role, if any, the State ought to play in determining what measure of state-directed intrusion may or may not violate the religious freedom of individuals, communities and corporations.
“The religious character and freedom of the school, its staff, students and their parents should be respected in a free and democratic society,” says Clemenger. “Provinces regularly allow schools, both public and private, to develop alternative approaches to curriculum. There is no reason why this should not be permitted when teaching about religion and ethics, particularly for a religious school like Loyola.”
Background
The Loyola case resulted from a Quebec Ministry of Education requirement, beginning in the school year 2008-2009, that all school instruction in the Province of Quebec include the Ethics and Religious Culture (ERC) curriculum. The course is not a graduation requirement. The Ministry of Education requires that the course – about ethical decision making and the role of religion in culture – be taught from a non-religious perspective.
Loyola High School is a private English-language Jesuit high school for boys located in Montreal, Quebec. Loyola is legally established under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. In accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines, Loyola sought exemption from teaching the ERC program because it already taught a similar course in world religions and ethics, with the ethics component taught from a Roman Catholic perspective (also including the perspectives of non-Catholic major thinkers and viewpoints). The Quebec Ministry of Education declined to grant an exemption.
Bruce Clemenger will be available for comment at the Supreme Court of Canada after the decision is released on Thursday or by appointment.
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For more information or an interview contact:
Rick Hiemstra, Director of Media Relations
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
(613) 233-9868 x332
MediaRelations@theEFC.ca