Religious Schools in Ontario

If you are not up to speed on this topic, here are some links:

Tory (leader of the Ontario's conservatives) defends funding for religious schools

Creationism could be taught in funded schools, Tory says

The idea is to allow publicly funded Muslim and Jewish (and other religious) schools in the province. It has been hard keeping my mouth shut for almost a week, since the Conservatives in Ontario made "religious schools" a campaign issue in the upcoming October 10th election.

Before I dive into a discussion, I am going to summarize what I think is wrong with that picture:

- Our children will no longer grow in a diverse educational environment where tolerance is taught and not self-religious-righteousness!
- Many programs such sex-ed, phys-ed and arts will be negatively impacted or simply just eliminated in the name of religious principles.

I almost cannot even begin to explain what would be wrong with that picture! Many argue that Catholic schools have been getting funds for years and now it's time Muslim and Jewish schools were funded (in the name of equality). My answer to that is:

The Catholic school system should be integrated into one optimized public system.

First and foremost, the majority of the voters agree that immigration should result in integration and not segregation. What brings more segregation than children who go to their own religious school, grow up in isolated environments where only one idea is preached?

Schools are supposed to be a safe environment for children think and express their ideas freely and ask questions about all subjects that are considered "taboo" at home. How many families are open to answering their children's question about sex? How many families facilitate art education or sports for their teens? Are we trying to get back to 50s and possibly worse, because now we are dealing with multiple religions that do not quite co-exist peacefully!

And the topic of "creationism" gets many people anxious!

I have been accused of being super-liberal (and I don't have a problem with that), what you should know is that I don't have a problem with girls wearing Hijab if they like, boys wearing Kippah if they wish. However, I would want my child to sit in the same classroom with both those kids, play on the soccer team with them and play music on the same band as them. I want my child to feel comfortable in sex-ed class and grow up in an environment where "anything goes".

What is most hilarious is that they say the want to provide "choice for children". By putting a child into a religious school (a parent's choice, obviously) we are not giving the child any freedom or choice, but we are taking their voice away.

If you feel religion is being forgotten, what you are looking for is "Sunday School" (nothing wrong with that) and not public money to be spent on what the Church/Mosque/Synagogue preaches!

Many of us protested against Shariah Courts (which was advertised in the name of women's rights!) and we will make sure we stand up against religion hi-jacking the next generation's education.

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P.s. I suppose I should further explain why my position on religious schools is so firm. Last year I campaigned in a neighbourhood that was partly occupied by religious Muslims. Most women were not allowed to leave the house without their husbands and were not allowed to talk to me, because I was a stranger (eventhough a female). Do we want such ideas taught in public schools? In addition to that, a few years ago I volunteered in a study that looked at Muslim women's sex life. Many teens or adults get raped because the guys never took sex-ed, and these crimes are never reported because in such isolated communities it is looked down upon (and mostly considered a girl's fault). Should I go into the concept of putting guilt on our kids at an early age? What about unspoken abortions?