Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge sits next to April, 4, (L) and Sammy, 4, in a pre-school class at the Northside Center for Childhood Development in New York,
IN PHOTO: Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge sits next to April, 4, (L) and Sammy, 4, in a pre-school class at the Northside Center for Childhood Development in New York, December 8, 2014. Reuters/Seth Wenig

In a long drawn case fought by a Jesuit school in Canada for asserting its religious rights, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in its favour, citing infringement of religious freedom by Quebec authorities. The Loyola school in Montreal was in a legal fight with Quebec's education departent with a problem in complying with the local law to teach the Ethics and Religious Culture program in a secular way. The school had applied for exemption as it wanted to teach the program in a Catholic way.

Judgement

The CBC News reports that the higher court observed, "To ask a religious school's teachers to discuss other religions and their ethical beliefs as objectively as possible does not seriously harm the values underlying religious freedom," Justice Rosalie Abella wrote. But Loyola's exemption, the court held, "cannot be withheld on the basis that Loyola must teach Catholicism and Catholic ethics from a neutral perspective."

Benoît Boucher, representing Quebec's attorney general, said it was important for the province to continue the course and the judgment showed how mandatory it is for Quebec students to gain a thorough understanding of diversity.

Christian Examiner reports the background of the case in which the Loyola school initially applied for an exemption to Quebec, with a request to permit it to teach Quebec province's religious program from a Catholic perspective. The official rule is that schools should teach the course from a non-sectarian view.

The school’s request was turned down by Quebec's Education Ministry. But later it yielded at the superior court in Quebec. But the Quebec Court of Appeal annulled that decision. Then the case went to the Supreme Court.

Following the Supreme Court verdict, the school will now reapply for the exemption. The Education Ministry will also consider the apex court’s guidance that upheld Loyola's exemption on the ground that it"cannot be withheld on the basis that Loyola must teach Catholicism and Catholic ethics from a neutral perspective.”

Catholic Perspective

Commenting on the Verdict, former Loyola principal Paul Donovan said, “The Ethics and Religious Culture program is a way to teach students to recognize the value of others and pursuit of the common good. These are laudable goals that we share and wish to inculcate in our students. However, we do not believe that religious values in the context of our school need to be suppressed to accomplish this."

However, Quebec’s Education Minister François Blais said he would not immediately comment on the ruling. But supported the course. He said the ministry will read the whole debate opened by the Supreme Court.

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