Some of Montreal�s Orthodox and Chasidic schools say much of the province�s new compulsory ethics and religious culture course (ERC) is "irreconcilable with our convictions.? They are seeking to work with the Quebec education ministry to find a way to abide by the law, said�Rabbi Yochanan Kuhnreich, principal of Bais Yaakov School, which has about 500 female elementary and high school students, without going against their beliefs.
"A large and important part of the course, which deals with ethics and values, was already being taught in our school,? he said. "But there are serious challenges posed by the other aspects that are not reconcilable with our convictions.? He declined to spell out what those aspects are, but the part of the course dealing with religious culture aims to give students an understanding of the religions considered to be part of Quebec�s heritage � Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism and aboriginal beliefs � as well as an overview of the other major world religions and secularism.
The government�s goal is to promote tolerance and a sense of commonality, and schools have been given the task of teaching about religion while avoiding religious teaching. The course must be taken by all students in every school that receives government funding, throughout elementary and high school. The government has said no exceptions will be made. It replaces the moral and religious education course, which offered the choice of a Catholic, Protestant or neutral orientation.
Orthodox schools such as Bais Yaakov have been reticent about the course until now. Rabbi Mendel Marasow, principal of Bais Rivkah Academy, which is under Lubavitch auspices, who has expressed doubts in the past about the possibility of the ERC being fully implemented in his school, referred questions last week to Rabbi�Kuhnreich, who himself was guarded in his responses. Privately, Chasidic leaders have indicated they would consider leaving Quebec if forced to teach religious material they consider inappropriate for their children.
The position of the Association of Jewish Day Schools (AJDS) is that the course is law, and it�s basically leaving it up to its members to come to terms with it as best they can. The AJDS represents 15 school corporations, comprising 23 campuses, including the larger Chasidic schools, such as those of the Skver and Belz communities.
A number of Chasidic schools are not affiliated with the AJDS, including a few that are already under the scrutiny of the education ministry for not teaching the existing required curriculum. "The course is compulsory. There is no choice,? said AJDS executive director Charley Levy. "The minister has made it clear there are no derogations.? On the other hand, he said, "It�s very obvious that for certain schools the ERC is against their confessional project.?
(LINK to Canadian Jewish News)
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=23608
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