God in the Classroom: The Controversial Issue of Religion in Canada's Schools

Jo-Anne Naslund is an education librarian at the University of British
Columbia Library.

Journalist Lois Sweet wanted to find out what motivates parents to
reject public education in favor of religious schools. Her study—which
was first published as a five-part series in the Toronto Star—involved
interviews with educators, students, parents, and professors, as well as
visits to many public and independent schools in Canada. Her
first-person narrative is engaging, conversational, and reflective.

After tracing the history of public education in Ontario, Sweet
describes funding arrangements for Catholic and religious independent
schools in each province, and the constitutional fight over
denominational schools in Newfoundland. Problems include duplication of
services and an historical preference for Catholicism over other faiths.


Visits to Sikh and Jewish schools led Sweet to realize that religious
instruction is more than indoctrination: it embodies perpetuation of
identity and a way of life. She reports that in the Netherlands, a
country known for its tolerance, religious schools are publicly funded.
However, underlying questions remain: How are we to educate students for
life in a multicultural society? What are the social implications of a
public education system that is bereft of religious instruction?

Sweet’s solution is to continue the public debate about religion in
the schools, to develop religion curricula, and to maintain a public
school system that respects religious differences. Her balanced and
thoughtful book is recommended reading for parents and educators.