I recently met with a group of parents concerned about the blurring of lines between religion and state in public education.
They are primarily concerned about what they see as the violation of the principle of neutrality toward all religions in Canada’s public schools. They also believe that current religious issues take classroom time and may disrupt social harmony in schools.
The parents fear that if they raise their voices their children will suffer a backlash in the playground: that they will be classified as racist just for raising concerns about religious practices during school hours on school property.
Some Muslim Student Association clubs, for example, discuss what is haram lifestyle and may openly disapprove of keeping dogs as pets, or dressing and eating in ways other families may consider normal.
They say that some children are questioning the lifestyle of any peers not subscribing to their religion, and that some children are even coerced to attend MSAs. If true, this does not foster the inclusive and respectful behavior which is a core value that school boards across Canada swear to uphold.
Naturally, the dress issue comes down to decency. How does a discussion at a religious club about women needing to dress “modestly” then play out for club members when they see other girls wearing low necklines and hot pants? Perhaps there is a subconscious bias towards those girls simply for what they choose to wear.
The concerned parents asked many questions. Has any procedure been established for any students negatively affected to voice their concern? What does supervising of religious clubs entail? How can a religious club be treated the same as a science club or a cooking club when, as the parents see it, religious groups may listen to sermons which can radicalize a susceptible minority?
Parent concern is particularly acute at one school board in Ontario, Peel District, that has multiple schools offering congregational services. The PDSB’s story has been well documented in the media.
The PDSB spends considerable money and effort on accommodating religious practices, such as in reviewing the request for space, ensuring a room is available and providing a supervisor.
A similar effort on the math competence of a broad range of PDSB students, for example, may yield more tangible benefits by boosting the average math scores of PDSB students, which languish below the Canadian average.
Such mainstream educational issues are real concerns for parents who do not subscribe to the culture that is developing in some school districts in Canada. The parents I spoke with said that the board in question heard their concerns but said it was legally required to provide faith accommodations.
That is a questionable claim, as congregational prayers can simply be offered during after school hours.
The Peel District School Board must at least listen carefully to the sincere concerns of parents and not dismiss them as racist or xenophobic.