http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald...9-bbd79f326852

I can't quite believe this legislation has got through.

It allows parents to withdraw children from science classes covering evolution on religious grounds. I find that unbelievable and gives creationists a voice and power.

How this can be dressed up as enshrining gay rights when it allows parents to opt their children out of classes discussing sexual orientation I will never know.

What may well happen is that teachers will give their warning , then a number of children will be opted out, then their parents will complain they aren't getting the required hours of education that they are entitled to under Alberta law, then the schools will have to provide cover for the times they teach 'controversial subjects'. Then it hits them in the purse, then they limit the amount of time they spend teaching such subjects because it causes a load of admin and costs money in teaching cover. Then everyone suffers and basics like evolution/geology/fossils/dinosaurs don't get taught.

And an open legal pathway a blind man could follow

Some might even go so far as to say planned route

This is so far from the truth it's almost laughable.

The legislation is bad enough without uninformed comment as above.

This legislation puts into law what was already in the Alberta School Act which gives parents the right to remove their child from sex education classes and classes covering religion.

It in no way allows a parent to pull a child from any science class for religious reasons.

The ability to remove children from classes has always been there, the Bill just codifies it. Tons of hot air over nothing if you ask me.

Good man

It's right up there with "You are not allowed to fly a St George's cross in England" "You are not allowed to wish anyone a Merry Christmas anywhere in the Christian World"

But a man down the pub said it so it must be true

have you read the Bill ?

I have and section 11.1 isn't that clear cut

Well I read an article by Lindsay Blackett discussing the legislation and he stated quite clearly that it did give the rights to parents to pull kids out of evolution classes on religious grounds.

As leepee said he was the one pulling this legislation together so if he got it wrong- then so did I. But I read the article very carefully.

Actually I don't think you are right here Steve. I think it allows parents to remove their children from any classes on religious grounds.

I find it amazing that you assume any poster who has a different viewpoint to yours bases it on heresay and twaddle.

Over 50% of posts on BE are based on heresay, twaddle and 'personal' experience......................... SO its not an UNFAIR assumption really

I've read the links and it does appear to me that the parents can pull kids from any lesson on religious grounds. I can accept that there are subjects that some parents will have objections to, but I feel these should be communicated to the school at the start of the school year. Schools could also easily send parents an e-mail at the end of each term informing them of the subject matters for the following term, in order for parents to guide their children in their own religious beliefs on the subject.

What is heresay?

I didn't express an opinion on it one way or the other. I stated facts.

The two examples I gave are frequently seen on this site and, despite the fact I have asked those that post them to provide us with legal authority for their propositions, they never do.

As I said, such a law already exists, so why get hot and bothered about it?

I doubt very many people that are complaining about it have actually taken the time to read the legislation and, within months, the issue will disappear and people will concentrate on issues that are likely to affect their day to day lives. I do not imagine for one minute that classes taught next year, or in the future, will be any different from those taught this year.

It's illegal to speed on Deerfoot, smoke lots of drugs, give alcohol to underage kids - does that stop people doing these things?

Even if this proves to be true - so what?

The type of parent that would do such a thing is the type of parent that will have brainwashed their child with their beliefs from a young age anyway. The remainder of the class will continue with their studies and the child will likely go on to follow its parents's beliefs without question for ever and a day.

Storm in a teacup if you ask me.

It's the spelling of hearsay favoured in rural Canada. I believe it may be from old Inuit.

This is about people allegedly thinking there's a law against something when, in fact, there is not. It has nothing to do with what follows.


I believe the nuances of the law are about to change but, regardless, old law or new law, if it limits freedom of discussion in the classroom it's worth getting mildly flustered about. I say mildly as I don't image anyone moves to Alberta expecting it to be a bastion of liberal thought, moving there does imply acquiesence to a degree of bigotry. Nonetheless, legislation is not wine, it doesn't get better with age.