Posted on 08/17/2007 12:15:16 PM PDT by ZGuy
A community of a dozen Mennonite families in Quebec is ready to leave the province rather than succumb to provincial government demands that would require their children to be taught evolution and homosexuality. While the government sees its actions as nothing more than enforcing technical regulations, many view the case as intolerance of Christian faith.
The community runs a small Mennonite school out of a church in Roxton Falls where eleven children in elementary grades were expected to commence studies this Fall. Subjects include reading, writing, math, science, geography, social sciences, music and French. However, they are not schooled in evolution and homosexuality (sex education) as demanded by the official provincial curriculum.
Quebec Education Ministry Spokesman Francois Lefebvre told LifeSiteNews.com that the province has two requirements for approval of private schools. "That the teachers are certified and that the provincial curriculum which is mandatory in all Quebec schools is followed," he said.
Ronald Goossen, a spokesman for the families, told LifeSiteNews.com the community rejects both demands. With regard to certified teachers, he said, "we have pulled our students out of public schools and by asking us to have certified teachers they are asking us to send our teachers to public school. So basically they're asking something of us that we don't feel we can do."
Regarding the curriculum, Goosen said, "Some of the things - the theory of evolution would be a problem, the attitudes portrayed, the lifestyles we don't ascribe to, making it look that single motherhood is fine, that alternate lifestyles are fine - gay 'marriage', we'd be very much against that."
After visiting the Mennonites in November, the Ministry of Education told the school that their teaching was not up to standard and threatened them with legal action. Parents were informed that their children must be enrolled in government-approved schools by the fall.
Given other incidents in the province, Goossen was concerned that if they don't comply, children might be taken from their families by social workers. In 2002, social workers in Aylmer removed seven children from a Mennonite family because the family used spanking as a form of discipline.
This move is an enactment of the Ministry of Education's decision last year to shut down schools that don't teach the full government-approved curriculum. The Ministry threatened to shut down private Evangelical schools that didn't want to teach evolution and sex-education (See http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/oct/06102404.html ).
The Mayor of Roxton Falls, Jean-Marie Laplante, said that the majority of non-Mennonites in his town support the school. Laplante has complained to the education department and Education Minister Michelle Courchesne to save the school from being shut down.
"We want to keep these people here - they're part of our community," the Mayor told the National Post. "They're good neighbours. They integrated into the community, they work hard, they have farms, they work in businesses in the region."
The prospect of losing the families, said the Mayor, "hurts economically, but it also hurts because everybody loves these people and we're saying, 'Why? Why is this happening?' "
Goosen told LifeSiteNews.com that the families are serious about moving and will be gone in a couple of weeks when school commences. He noted that most have already rented housing in Ontario. Should the government reconsider and allow them the freedom to educate their children within the boundaries of their faith, the community would gladly stay he said.
Lefebvre told LifeSiteNews.com that the school had not yet applied for permission to run privately. However, Goosen responded that the ministry of education had all the required information and his application was not 'officially' submitted only due to a technicality related to the online submission process.
Moreover, said Goosen, "we have been informed that our application would be rejected since they require certified teachers and adherence to the curriculum."
Lefebvre at first seemed conciliatory. He claimed that the regulations "do not exclude giving other courses or teachings related to their religious convictions, but at this moment it is outside of the official program of education."
LifeSiteNews.com asked whether a compromise could be reached, whether it would be possible to eliminate from the school's curriculum the offensive parts which deal with evolution and homosexuality. Lefebvre replied, "It's difficult to say because the educational program insists that students acquire competence in the whole program therefore how could you eliminate one part of the program and still have a general competence?" He referred to religious schools in Quebec, emphasizing that they also have to "respect the program of education (curriculum) of Quebec."
Goosen told LifeSiteNews.com that the Mennonite community has its own curriculum which is accepted in seven other Canadian provinces. "Our own curriculum system has served us well and produced good results," he said.
The option of home schooling is permitted, Lefebvre stated in answer to another question, as long as the progress of the children is reported as satisfactory to the local education ministry. He told LifeSiteNews.com that homeschoolers in the province must be receiving an equivalent education as those in public schools, which means the provincial curriculum must be followed. That curriculum, with its pro-gay sex education and its teaching of evolution, remains unacceptable to many.
To politely express concerns to the Ministry of Education in Quebec:
Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport Édifice Marie-Guyart 1035, rue De La Chevrotière 16e étage Québec (Québec) G1R5A5 Phone : 418 644-0664 Fax : 418 646-7551 ministre@mels.gouv.qc.ca
PRECISELY. All too often though evolution is taught as fact with ZERO room for anything that might dare question it.
Except Islam of course. The kooky libs will bend over backwards for them.
There is also no basis for evolution to be taught either - in fact origins are outside of the classical scientific method. Only operational science (i.e. observable - repeatable - verifiable) is truly science most everything else that calls itself science is secular religion looking for legitimacy and legal protection - not to mention government grants.
Sorry. You're never gonna sell that -- it's the truth, and you know that doesn't sell very well in the "educational" field.
I don’t get it. When I was in Quebec the last time, they were predominantly devoutly Catholic. So how does the Evolution and Homosexuality agenda fit in with this? Has La Belle Provence changed *that* much over the past two decades?
Naturally, Catholics probably don’t have much time for Mennonites, but even so, at least these two issues would be a common baseline, surely?
Or am I *that* badly out-of-touch with the Home and Native Land?
*DieHard*
So how can you say Because the Bible says He created it in six days. Read Genesis 1. Not compatible with evolutionary theory. until those question are answered?
Remember, MEN, and MEN only named the 24 hours period as being a day, not God.
When the guy from the Education Ministry shows up at the Madrassa, they cut off his head - end of problem.
Not really. I'm sure they teach about the plague, polio and ebola virus also.
Is that true? They are taking kids away in Atlanta because of spanking?
“Evolution should be taught in science class (there is no scientific basis for anything else).”
We home school. 25+ year veterans at it. We are not Mennonites, but we have often used large segments of the Mennonite curriculum that is called “Rod & Staff.” I have no doubt others on these threads are familiar with it. We have used Rod & Staff in math, science, health and language arts. We thank God for the Mennonites who put that curriculum together.
I can guarantee that schools that use Rod & Staff Publishers material correctly and consistently have their academic standards above that of government schools.
What the Quebec government means by standards is that immorality and pseudoscience (evolution) are their standard.
I certainly accept evolution as God’s way of creating living things on this earth. If and when I eventually meet God, and he tells me that evolution is wrong, I’m confident (H)e will forgive me for believing the scientific evidence.
WOW!!!! It's gonna hit the fan now. The blind-fanatical evolutionists are gonna roast you alive.
How dare you allow God within a million miles of the "accident" most "evolutionists" claim as sciencally proven fact?
Do you realize that you have just accepted God as the designer in the Intelligent Design position?
That's a good start -- keep it going.
I think that is the position most scientists who are religious take. Does it not make sense? Sure it does. Scientists are not evil guys out to trick people with lies—if you read the facts for yourself, they make a good argument. I’m not converting to intelligent design-that is just creationism with a nicer name. I don’t understand why people can’t say evolution is God’s scientific method, whats wrong with that?
Well, I guess I am unable to convince you guys that evolution is true. I will just say this. Michael Behe, one of the only real scientists who refused to believe in evolution, wrote a new book, and he basically gave up:
“Coyne remarked, “What has Behe now found to resurrect his campaign for ID? It’s rather pathetic, really. Basically, he now admits that almost the entire edifice of evolutionary theory is true: evolution, natural selection, common ancestry.”[3] Coyne noted Behe argued, “the genetic variation that fuels natural selection–mutation–is produced not by random changes in DNA, as evolutionists maintain, but by an Intelligent Designer. That is, he sees God as the Great Mutator.”
Why does the designer necessarily have to be God. But if He is, then what difference does it make that "intelligent design (....) is just creationism with a nicer name."
Sounds a bit picky-picky to me. But if you want it tht way, it's OK with me. A least you have not cavalierly excluded God from the equation.
That’s our situation in Indiana, and it is the case with home schooling families who own property all over the USA.
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We’ll be in the same situation in Florida.
Why must the government force children to learn Darwinism, especially when they can barely read, add or spell? What advantage does it give them?
“Remember, MEN, and MEN only named the 24 hours period as being a day, not God.”
no, the hebrew word for “day” means a 24 hour day everywhere else in the old testament.
Now THAT is a great post. Well said!
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