Fighting to not attend Catholic classes at Catholic school - Ontario

[Superflyer]

A Brampton father has won a partial exemption from religious studies for his son but may still take a Catholic school board to court to win a full pass, as other parents across the province fight for a basic right outlined in the Education Act.
Oliver Erazo has been battling the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board since last spring to obtain a full exemption from religious courses and programs for his son Jonathan, a Grade 10 student at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.

So they choose to send their kids to a Catholic school then fight the board so their kids can not attend Catholic classes and events. This seems a little odd to me and I guess there are many families doing this in Ontario.


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2...s_studies.html

[Resolute 14]

I could understand this if the family was in a small, rural community that had only one school that just happened to be run by the Catholic board.

But Brampton? No sympathy for the father here. He has the choice to send his kid to a public school that doesn't include religious-based classes. Instead, he would rather be a d-bag wasting everyone's time and money.

[polak]

Father is a moron.

Don't send your kid to Catholic school if you don't want him taking religion.

[JD]

Growing up in the Catholic system here in Calgary, I can say this kind of stuff happens all the time.

I remember one girl in my class who couldn't take part in phys-ed because "wearing the gym strip was against her religion". Uh, what religion is that? Cause we're all Catholic, or so I thought!

[MarchHare]

I'd be curious to know the distance between the student's home and the nearest public school. The article didn't mention it.

That said, I find it a bit baffling that in the year 2013 some provinces still have government-funded Catholic schools, but that's a different issue entirely.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I'd be curious to know the distance between the student's home and the nearest public school. The article didn't mention it.

That said, I find it a bit baffling that in the year 2013 some provinces still have government-funded Catholic schools, but that's a different issue entirely.

Or in a place like St. Albert where there literally is no public school. "Public" use schools in St. Albert are Catholic, and the "Private" schools are Protestant.

What's up wit dat?

Perhaps Brampton has similar such idiocy.

EDIT: A quick Google shows that Brampton (Peel District) uses both Public (secular) and Catholic school systems.

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by polak

Father is a moron.

Don't send your kid to Catholic school if you don't want him taking religion.

i agree completely!

i find it hard to believe that a city the size of brampton wouldn't have at least one private school that isn't associated with a religious organization.... why not send your kid there??

in kelowna there are a number of private schools and i think there are at least 3 that are not associated with a religious organizations. brampton is about 5x larger than kelowna so you would think there would be a half descent selection to choose from

any idea how many non-religious private schools are in calgary (as calgary is about double the size of brampton)

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

That said, I find it a bit baffling that in the year 2013 some provinces still have government-funded Catholic schools, but that's a different issue entirely.

It's kind of in the constitution.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It's kind of in the constitution.

constitution smonstitusion.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It's kind of in the constitution.

Then how come five provinces (NS, PEI, NB, MB, BC) have completely secularized their public education systems over the past few decades, removing government funding for all religious-affiliated schools?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Then how come five provinces (NS, PEI, NB, MB, BC) have completely secularized their public education systems over the past few decades, removing government funding for all religious-affiliated schools?

Not a clue. But the right to a separate religious (but only Catholic or Protestant - whichever is the local minority) school board is constitutionally entrenched in Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

[Jimmy Stang]

This part of the article sums it up for me:

“It was written into law that there must be exemption for both the classes and religious programs for those who requested it in writing,” he said. “The question is posed, ‘Why go to a Catholic School and not take religion classes or participate in mass or faith days? Why make the Catholic schools change their way of doing things to accommodate us?’

“The fact is, they agreed to this as a condition of taking our money. They accepted that non-Catholics fund their schools, so they should be allowed to attend and not take the religion classes.”

If non-Catholics are paying for it through taxes, then non-Catholics get to attend.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Or in a place like St. Albert where there literally is no public school. "Public" use schools in St. Albert are Catholic, and the "Private" schools are Protestant.

Just this 2012-13 school year they changed the name of St. Albert Protestant to St. Albert Public. But ya I thought that was quite strange when I first moved there.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

If non-Catholics are paying for it through taxes, then non-Catholics get to attend.

That's not the issue here as anyone can go to Catholic school if they want to, even in Calgary.

The issue is that if you choose to go to a Catholic school, can you be exempt from taking religion class? This sounds like a father with too much time on his hands.

[LChoy]

When I was growing up in Lloydminster, the local catholic school allowed non-catholics to attend and non-Catholics were able to be excused from the religious part of the schooling.

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It's kind of in the constitution.

So is gun ownership in the U.S. constitution. Doesn't mean there are many people out that that think it is crazy and want to rid of it.

[YYC in LAX]

Here's a pic just because:

[MelBridgeman]

I went to Catholic school in Calgary - religion/church all that stuff was a great way to get away from regular class - to day dream, nap ect...

Don't see the harm - it does't brainwash you

[mykalberta]

It likely like the Catholic run school is likely a much better run school than the local public option.

I would doubt that 1/2 of all kids attending catholic school in Alberta are Catholic in any way, they just fake it to go to school there.

If Brampton is anything like Edmonton from what some teacher friends up there tell me the Catholic Schools get alot more private fundraising than the public schools do so that is why the schools are nicer.

If its the same in Brampton then this father probably wants his kid to go to the better school yet not acknowledge the reason why its a better school.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

When I was growing up in Lloydminster, the local catholic school allowed non-catholics to attend and non-Catholics were able to be excused from the religious part of the schooling.

Yup that's true. I get why you'd send your kids to one if its the only school around you, or even the closest. Otherwise, its just a head-scratcher.

I went to Grandin and one of my best friends there wasn't Catholic. And he lived in Shawnessy, so the public E.P. Scarlett was closer, and Wise Wood's just down the street. Why go to a Catholic school then??