According to the Edmonton Journal, Alberta’s education minister has just announced that he is taking the next step in the NDP government’s crackdown on the province’s religious schools—and that action against these schools will occur by the end of the school year:
Alberta private schools that fail to publicly post policies within a month affirming the rights of LGBTQ students will lose their public funding by the end of the 2018-19 school year, Education Minister David Eggen said Wednesday.
“If you’re receiving public money, then you must comply with the rules, just like everybody else,” Eggen said in an interview. As of April, all public, Catholic, francophone, charter and private schools in Alberta are bound by changes to the School Act that say principals must immediately approve a student’s request to start a gay-straight alliance support group for students…
Of course, all of these schools were in compliance with the rules before the NDP government decided to change the rules and demand that religious schools, which have always been a fundamental part of Canada’s educational fabric, implement policies that directly conflict with their core values. This is a government informing any school that does not publicly adhere to their ideology and their worldview that they are no longer welcome. This is what progressive “diversity” looks like: Enforced conformity. More:
Calgary lawyer John Carpay, who represents the schools and parents, in a Wednesday email called the crackdown on policies a “bullying and intimidation tactic” better suited to a dictatorship without regard for the freedoms of citizens.
“The government’s attempt to compel private schools to express the government’s views in their own policies seriously undermines the rights of these schools to have policies that respect the unique character of these independent schools,” Carpay wrote.
Some of the schools fighting the law did post compliant policies, Eggen said. On Monday, deputy education minister Curtis Clarke wrote to 61 Alberta private schools, saying their policy either does not comply with the School Act, or isn’t posted prominently online. They will receive personalized letters next week outlining deficiencies and will have 30 days to fix them.
In an interview, Eggen said if law-abiding policies aren’t posted by early October, he will impose policies on reticent schools. If the schools fail to post the imposed policy, he’ll withdraw their public funding before the end of the school year.
Two Edmonton-area Christian schools that have defied the minister on the issue have a policy posted that says, “Parental notification and permission is required for students to attend and participate in any approved school clubs and activities.”
Again, as I wrote earlier today, parental rights are at the center of the current battles between progressive politicians and parents across the country. The NDP and their ideological fellow travelers believe that they have the right to demand that their worldview be taught to the children of other people, and are attempting to use whatever means necessary to ensure that this happens. Schools that maintain their unique religious character will be made an example of. This is not state neutrality. This is the government mandating a specific perspective that is at odds with nearly every major religious group in the country—but LGBT activists like Kris Wells have been cheering this on:
The public must wait to see if any schools defy the minister to know whether he’ll act as promised, said Kristopher Wells, an associate professor specializing in sexual and gender minority studies at the University of Alberta. Wells is moving to MacEwan University effective Saturday.
“Enough is enough for schools that won’t comply with basic policy expectations. There needs to be consequences,” he said.
Again, it is important to note that these “basic policy expectations” are brand new, brought in by Alberta’s NDP first-term government, which seems determined to accomplish as much social engineering as possible before they are in all likelihood given the boot next year by Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party. We will have to wait until then to discover how much of the damage the NDP inflicted on Alberta’s religious schools is lasting.
7 thoughts on “Education Minister David Eggen says funding will be pulled from religious schools that refuse gay-straight alliance clubs”
Shirley Erkila says:
how sad, sad, sad………………………..
can’t say it enough. Dictatorship is rampant with this government. What happened to private schools being able to set their own agendas. We thought we were in a country with religious freedom. I guess only for certain religions. Pray that the dictators will see the light.
Check out the International Declaration of Human Rights that says parents do have rights in regards to their children’s education.Eggen is a dictator satisfying his own agenda and ideologies just like Notley, Trudeau, Wynne, Hitler, Castro. Dictators-anti-God assassin’s of human rights and freedoms.
So the truth comes out. He is to blame for trying to shut our Christian School down. Never did think any good about him. He will get his reward in the end and it won’t be good!
I’m a Christian I do not believe that the gays and LGBTQ are good. I believe that you are what your born and only one man and one woman are to be married.
You are denying my right to go to a school that I feel a part of. I stand firm for my beliefs. I don’t hate those that I don’t agree with but that doesn’t mean I have to cater to their needs.
Nowadays this sorry government caters to people’s “feelings” well if your so concerned about people’s “feelings” why don’t you care about Christans. We are loving and hardworking Canadians who aren’t afraid to help someone. I am not a door mat. The charter of rights and freedoms clearly states that I have the right to my religion.
I am very disappointed in Canada. You are cutting funding to my private school because we don’t agree with the trends of the world. Look at the suicide rate of transgenders and gays.
I pray that God gives this Country true leaders that are ones who don’t take away a young lady like myself a right to go to a school that I identify with.
Are public schools going to teach the word of God? Are Muslim schools going to learn about Christ? When is the constant hatred of Christians stop? It never will I believe that the world has been polluted by sin and I hope that I am saved by the one and only living God. I will fight this wicked world and all my small victories will go to God.
This government is violating my rights and freedoms. I don’t agree with the gays and I never will. Why can’t I have that right? I’m sure that gays don’t want to even hear the work God or Christ. Why isn’t my livelihood pushed on them?
My school CCRS stands strong, we have lots of smart and intelligent students who are kind to one another and work together. We use our team skills in sports and enjoy one another. Even if this gets passed I won’t listen to the sad and evil things you want to push on me. Stop pushing me and my brothers and sisters of Christ to abide by the worlds rules. There is a constant war between good and bad. Goodness and evil. Light and dark. I choose to join and fight the side where my Heavenly Father is roaring like a lion. He has all the power and might.
God is alive.
*cough* “…there is no evidence to suggest that the schools will be defunded or de-accredited for the upcoming school year, and there is no reason to take prohibitive steps to prevent defunding or de-accreditation.” ~ Madam Justice Johnna C. Kubik
There is nothing new under the sun. Haman, the Jew hater, and political ladder-climber, tricked the King of his time into enacting a law that would have the Jewish people either sin against God or be put to death. History records that instead, Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had built for his enemy.
If this corrupt, and depraved Sodomite government takes away our societal benefits because we serve the Living God, so be it. If they shut down our churches, and force us out of our jobs they will only weed out the pretenders amongst us and strengthen our resolve. And when they come to steal our money and rights, rape and kill our children in the name of love and diversity, and destroy us and the memory of our all powerful, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God and saviour Jesus Christ, do not be concerned. For the time is short and the end is near, and we will reign with Him in eternity, far above any political puppet, maniacal monster, or self gratifying, shameless group of reprobates. Repent and believe and you will be saved. The path to everlasting life is narrow, and there are few who find it, the path to everlasting destruction is wide, and there are many that take it.
how sad, sad, sad………………………..
can’t say it enough. Dictatorship is rampant with this government. What happened to private schools being able to set their own agendas. We thought we were in a country with religious freedom. I guess only for certain religions. Pray that the dictators will see the light.
Check out the International Declaration of Human Rights that says parents do have rights in regards to their children’s education.Eggen is a dictator satisfying his own agenda and ideologies just like Notley, Trudeau, Wynne, Hitler, Castro. Dictators-anti-God assassin’s of human rights and freedoms.
So the truth comes out. He is to blame for trying to shut our Christian School down. Never did think any good about him. He will get his reward in the end and it won’t be good!
I’m a Christian I do not believe that the gays and LGBTQ are good. I believe that you are what your born and only one man and one woman are to be married.
You are denying my right to go to a school that I feel a part of. I stand firm for my beliefs. I don’t hate those that I don’t agree with but that doesn’t mean I have to cater to their needs.
Nowadays this sorry government caters to people’s “feelings” well if your so concerned about people’s “feelings” why don’t you care about Christans. We are loving and hardworking Canadians who aren’t afraid to help someone. I am not a door mat. The charter of rights and freedoms clearly states that I have the right to my religion.
I am very disappointed in Canada. You are cutting funding to my private school because we don’t agree with the trends of the world. Look at the suicide rate of transgenders and gays.
I pray that God gives this Country true leaders that are ones who don’t take away a young lady like myself a right to go to a school that I identify with.
Are public schools going to teach the word of God? Are Muslim schools going to learn about Christ? When is the constant hatred of Christians stop? It never will I believe that the world has been polluted by sin and I hope that I am saved by the one and only living God. I will fight this wicked world and all my small victories will go to God.
This government is violating my rights and freedoms. I don’t agree with the gays and I never will. Why can’t I have that right? I’m sure that gays don’t want to even hear the work God or Christ. Why isn’t my livelihood pushed on them?
My school CCRS stands strong, we have lots of smart and intelligent students who are kind to one another and work together. We use our team skills in sports and enjoy one another. Even if this gets passed I won’t listen to the sad and evil things you want to push on me. Stop pushing me and my brothers and sisters of Christ to abide by the worlds rules. There is a constant war between good and bad. Goodness and evil. Light and dark. I choose to join and fight the side where my Heavenly Father is roaring like a lion. He has all the power and might.
God is alive.
Will the same apply at Muslim schools… I have my doubts…
*cough* “…there is no evidence to suggest that the schools will be defunded or de-accredited for the upcoming school year, and there is no reason to take prohibitive steps to prevent defunding or de-accreditation.” ~ Madam Justice Johnna C. Kubik
There is nothing new under the sun. Haman, the Jew hater, and political ladder-climber, tricked the King of his time into enacting a law that would have the Jewish people either sin against God or be put to death. History records that instead, Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had built for his enemy.
If this corrupt, and depraved Sodomite government takes away our societal benefits because we serve the Living God, so be it. If they shut down our churches, and force us out of our jobs they will only weed out the pretenders amongst us and strengthen our resolve. And when they come to steal our money and rights, rape and kill our children in the name of love and diversity, and destroy us and the memory of our all powerful, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God and saviour Jesus Christ, do not be concerned. For the time is short and the end is near, and we will reign with Him in eternity, far above any political puppet, maniacal monster, or self gratifying, shameless group of reprobates. Repent and believe and you will be saved. The path to everlasting life is narrow, and there are few who find it, the path to everlasting destruction is wide, and there are many that take it.