Federal

Quebec Extends Deadline for Halting Religious Instruction

By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo — June 21, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Quebec officials have given faith-based schools a second lengthy extension before they have to stop teaching religion.

Primary and secondary schools in the Canadian province had been divided under Roman Catholic and Protestant boards since the 1860s, until a 1998 law restructured them with French and English boards. Many schools, however, have continued to be religion-based after being granted an extension by the Quebec government. The extension, which was set to expire this year, was granted to give schools more time to replace the religion curriculum with ethics and religious-culture classes. The new, three-year extension gives the schools until the 2008-09 school year to switch to the new curriculum. The rule applies to government and private schools.

“We live in a plural society,” said Quebec’s education minister, Jean-Marc Fournier, in a statement last month. “And it’s important that school can actively help youth learn knowledge and skills and attitudes that will help them throughout their lives … on a personal level and socially.”

School boards, teacher groups, and religious organizations support the move, according to news reports.

Assistant Librarian Claire Guimbert acted as an interpreter and translator for this story.

Events

Student Achievement Webinar What Effective Tutoring Should Look Like—and Achieve
Join this webinar to learn how to sustain effective tutoring programs that help improve students' performance in reading and math.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Mathematics Webinar
Engaging Every Learner: Strategies to Boost Math Motivation
Math Motivation Boost! Research & real tips to engage learners.
Content provided by Prodigy Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
The Ripple Effect: Mental Health & Student Outcomes
Learn how student mental health impacts outcomes—and how to use that data to support your school’s IEP funding strategy.
Content provided by Huddle Up

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Federal Opinion Trump's Barrage of Executive Orders for Education: How Significant Are They?
A Washington insider discusses the immediate—and long-term—implications of the administration's education goals.
8 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin. From Dismantling Library Services Agency
The president referred to the agency as "unnecessary" in a March executive order, after which it started winding down many operations.
2 min read
President Donald Trump arrives at Tuscaloosa National Airport, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
President Donald Trump arrives at Tuscaloosa National Airport, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. A federal judge blocked the president's attempt to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Federal Opinion We’re All to Blame for What Has Become of the U.S. Dept. of Education
The trouble started decades ago with a flawed plan to improve America’s schools, writes a former New York superintendent.
Michael V. McGill
5 min read
Illustration of pointing fingers.
DigitalVision Vectors<br/>
Federal Trump Ends $1 Billion in Mental Health Grants for Schools
The Education Department told grantees that their awards reflected the Biden administration's priorities.
5 min read
Guests listen as President Joe Biden speaks during an event to celebrate the passage of the "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," a law meant to reduce gun violence, on the South Lawn of the White House, July 11, 2022, in Washington.
Guests listen as then-President Joe Biden speaks during an event to celebrate the passage of the "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," a law meant to reduce gun violence, on the South Lawn of the White House on July 11, 2022, in Washington. The U.S. Department of Education on April 29 told grantees that had received money to train and hire more mental health professionals in schools that it wouldn't renew their grants.
Evan Vucci/AP