02-Nov-2006: Teach sex and evolution or close
Teach sex and evolution or close, Quebec evangelical schools told was the front page headline in
The Ottawa Citizen two weeks ago. The story quoted a directory general of a school board as saying,
"Quebec children are legally required to follow the provincial curriculum ... but these evangelical schools teach
their own courses on creationism and sexuality that don't follow the Quebec curriculum." The diplomas of graduates of
these schools are not recognized anywhere in Canada and Quebec's Minister of Education has said that if they don't
teach Darwin's theory of evolution and sex education they must close.
Anyone who has read any of my previous blog entries should know by now where I stand on the issue. It's about
bloody time! was my first response. I don't think this issue is about freedom of education and a parent's right
to choose what kind of education his/her child will have, though I recognize that those are very strong arguments. It's not
about mixing religion and state, as that is not an issue in Canada. It is about giving the children choices.
I think it is generally accepted that a parent who fails to ensure his child gets a "normal" education is doing the
child a disservice. Parents can opt for "home schooling" in Canada, but there are stringent conditions including how
many hours a week instruction the child must have, what courses and content are taught, and what credentials the parents have. The child still has to
pass standardized examinations in order to receive credit. And the same is true of any "opted-out" school (such as schools
operated by Hassidic Jews or schools run by Mennonites.) In my opinion, any child who has never been given the chance to
participate in "main-stream" life is handicapped for life.
Quebec is very aware of this. Before Quebec's Quiet Revolution of the 1960's, the majority of Quebeckers went to schools tightly
controlled by the Roman Catholic church. The purpose of this educational system was to produce priests, nuns, or, at the very least,
pious Roman Catholics. Those who were unfortunate enough to be protestant or Jewish went to "secular" schools. The result was obvious
to anyone who visited Quebec: the business owners and managers were educated in the secular schools, and those that came out of
the confessional system were the employees with little chance of advancement. Given that most French-Canadians were Roman Catholic
and that protestants and Jews were mainly English-speaking you have the makings of a serious cultural conflict. One that still threatens to tear
the entire country apart.
Quebec's educational system underwent a revolution during the 1960's and 1970's. The government controlled the curriculum to ensure
that all members of Quebec society would have an equal chance at success. School boards were reorganized to do away with the division
between secular and confessional schools. All children would have the same education no matter what their religion. A part time course (1-2
class periods a week) was introduced to give children an exposure to religious instruction. Originally intended to be in two forms: one for
Roman Catholics and a more general course in ethics for everyone else, that distinction has virtually disappeared and there is one course.
The 1970's was a great time to be a general contractor because new
schools were built across Quebec at neck-breaking speed. Regional secondary schools, called Polyvalents ("many streams" or "many ways"), were built
to give equal access to all children in Quebec to a standardized education, so that a child in Chicoutami would have access to the
same courses and opportunities as a child living in Montreal. A new kind of school, to sit between secondary school and skilled or professional
life, was invented specifically to ensure that skilled trades and professions were equally available to all. Today's CEGEPs, as they are called,
have a stellar record and Quebec's system has produced a highly educated population.
People in the rest of Canada sometimes complain about Quebec and why it seems to always go in a different direction than
the rest of the country. Now some English-speaking Canadians complain that senior (and some junior)
government positions are dominated by French Canadians. Well, everything else aside, they tend to have the best educations—something
that often gets overlooked in such discussions. (As well as the not-so-minor point that Canada is a bilingual country and the federal government
must ensure that all Canadians can get access to public services in their own language. Those who are bilingual advance. Those who think that
learning to speak French is a waste of time or too difficult, well, if they choose to handicap themselves why blame those who rise to meet the challenges?)
So, what does this have to do with evolution and sex education? Plenty. Quebec knows first hand the harmful effects a restricted education
has on individuals and societies. It has turned itself from a quaint little corner of North America into a major player in Canada and in the world. Quebec demands,
and is worthy of, respect.
Notice that I managed to get through all that without getting into combative mode regarding evolution and sex ed? I'm proud of myself.
However, be warned, both are topics that I do not take lightly. They'll be back.