Feature Story
November 2008
The Ethics and Religious Culture course: as compulsory as school attendance?
Since September 2008, all Quebec students have to follow the Ethics and Religious Culture course. Not all parents agree with this measure imposed on their children. Some have attended protest marches. Others have turned to the courts. Others even want to remove their children from the class while the course is being taught. What does the
Education Act have to say about this?
No more options
Up until last year, you had the choice between Catholic (or Protestant) religious and moral instruction and moral education. These options have been abolished and replaced with the new Ethics and Religious Culture course, which aims, amongst other things, at familiarizing students with some of the religions present in their society.
The right to choose no longer exists. Parents who disagree can ask their school board to exempt their child from attending the Ethics and Religious Culture course. They must show that their child would suffer serious harm if he were forced to attend that class.
So what does “serious harm” mean? There isn’t a clear answer to that question yet. The courts will be called upon to clarify this in the months to come.
Unexcused absences
Some parents believe that it would be best to simply remove their children from this class should the school board refuse to give them an exemption.
However, in Quebec, children between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school. Parents must even take the necessary measures to ensure that their children attend school. There are certain situations that allow a student to get out of this compulsory school attendance, such as:
- He is sick;
- The school expelled him;
- He is home schooled, benefitting from an education that the school board finds equivalent to that provided at school.
The school principal must keep track of each student’s absences. Where a student is repeatedly absent, the principal will intervene with the student and his parents to correct the situation. The principal must report the situation to the director of youth protection if nothing changes, and after having notified the parents and the student in writing.
