Is B.C. brave enough to follow Quebec’s world religions curriculum?

[rug]

July 19, 2013. 5:49 pm
Vancouver Sun Blog Network / Staff

When is ignorance bliss?

For some it’s when the subject is religion.

How many times have you heard someone remark, almost proudly, they know virtually nothing about religion? As if the deep convictions of four out of five of the world’s inhabitants were beneath them.

Resistance to inter-religious understanding remains strong, judging from continuing global conflicts — and the shortage of courses about religion in the vast majority of North American public schools.

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/07/19/is-b-c-brave-enough-to-follow-quebecs-world-religion-curriculum/

[EvilAL]

1. I was worried when they introduced it

in my kid's school. I payed attention to it and there was no preference towards any religions. What I found funny when they first announced it was that I figured non-religious parents would be making a big stink about it, but it had a different effect, the religious were against it, typically Catholics, since Quebec is big Catholic. Saying it would confuse their children.
I sent my kids across the border into the New Brunswick School system 2 years ago for different reasons. If NB would pick up a similar course I would have no problem with it.

[cbayer]

2. Great first hand report and eye opening.

Very interesting that religious parents were more threatened than non-religious parents.

I think teaching religion without any kind of endorsement could do a lot towards promoting understanding and tolerance.

And that, to me, would be a good thing.

[EvilAL]

3. Yeah, my daughter came home

the first week and was learning about Islam, traditions and the like. They didn't give them a koran to read, but they were talking about the similarities between certain religions and differences and stuff. I paid attention to it and after a month or so figured it was going to be ok. They had assignments to find secular songs and poetry and religious songs and poetry and things like that. Meaning behind religious symbolism and all that stuff. She only took Ethics and Religion for 3 years and then I moved her to NB. I don't know how in depth the total course would be if you went through the whole thing.
I think the more religious parents were nervous about having doubt cast on their own religion, after seeing how many different beliefs there are out there.

[cbayer]

4. I think you are right about why the religious parents had more objections.

I sent my son to a catholic high school for a variety of complicated reasons.

While there were a fair amount of "optional" events (masses, etc), the religion classes were refreshingly comprehensive and free of proselytizing. I think they really made an effort to keep it that way.

My son rejected all religion, and particularly catholicism, at the time, but is now about to marry into a deeply catholic family. Should be lots of fun to watch this evolve.