VICE-CHAIR OUSTED
Over religious studies flap
Alberta’s education minister said he finds it “disturbing” Catholic schools forbid students who fail to complete religious studies courses for credits from participating in graduation ceremonies.
Minister David Eggen’s comments came hours after the Edmonton Catholic school board turfed a trustee from the role of vice-chairperson for speaking out on the issue.
Studying religion is not required by Alberta Education to earn a high school diploma, Eggen told reporters Monday afternoon.
“I think it’s a bit disturbing obviously,” Eggen said of Catholic schools’ practice to require nine credits of religious studies for students to participate in commencement. “Graduation is a big part of a kid’s life after 12 years of school. I find it a bit surprising that they would emphasize this, and not make some provision for students to just graduate. Because, I mean, that’s part of the whole process of public education.”
Edmonton Catholic Schools has said the situation rarely arises, and that students still receive their diploma in the mail, and can participate in celebratory dinners and dances.
Last month, Edmonton Catholic school trustee Marilyn Bergstra attempted to bring a motion before the board saying the district should allow all students to participate in graduation ceremonies who have met Alberta Education’s graduation requirements. She also proposed no penalties be levied against students who choose to opt out of religion classes.
In interviews last week, both Bergstra and trustee Patricia Grell said the district should have a written policy clarifying the expectation that students must complete nine high school credits in religious studies to participate in a commencement ceremony. They also said schools should encourage, not force, students to take religion classes. Bergstra said religion classes should be optional, and Grell said the district could allow students to opt out.
Their board colleagues responded Monday by reprimanding Grell and Bergstra for their comments, which “caused further harm” to Catholics, according to board chairperson Laura Thibert.
“To publicly advocate against religious education as part of our mandate is blatantly opposed to the oath we took and disrespectful to all our stakeholders,” Thibert said in a prepared statement Monday.
Trustee Larry Kowalczyk then made a motion to remove Bergstra as board vice-chairperson.
“We look to chair and vice-chair as positions of leadership, and we certainly haven’t got that from trustee Bergstra,” he said.
Bergstra said her removal has nothing to do with her performance as vice-chair, and that she won’t be silenced.
“I just don’t think that difference of opinion, or bringing tough issues forward, is grounds to remove somebody,” Bergstra said in an interview. “If I had a choice between being vice-chair and silent, or standing behind issues of importance, I would take, ‘Stand behind issues of importance.’ ”
She said for the last decade, she’s heard “very sad” stories of students denied participation in commencement. “What am I supposed to do? Tell them their views don’t matter?” Bergstra said during Monday’s meeting.
Bergstra’s motion about graduation was voted off the board’s April open meeting agenda, which should have been the end of discussion, Thibert said.
Grell did not attend Monday’s meeting and, later, declined to comment. After Grell and Bergstra spoke to media outlets last week, parents contacted Thibert and other trustees to stress the importance of religion classes.