Teachers in Catholic division expected to be active in faith

While Regina Catholic School Division teachers are required to have a reference from a priest or parish staff, six of 49 new teachers last year did not fulfil the criteria.

They were hired on good faith by the division, which also requires its teaching staff to be active in their church communities, complete two university-level theology courses and submit a statement on their personal philosophy of Catholic education.

If they do not meet these criteria, they can be fired.

“Teachers would be associated somehow within Christianity,” said Sandra Baragar, RCSD’s superintendent of human resources services.

“Teachers are expected, as being in a Catholic school, that they participate in morning prayer, any celebrations, liturgies, those things, because we embed our faith throughout the day and incorporate some of those Christian values and beliefs into other subject areas.”

Baragar authored a monitoring report that was presented at Monday’s board meeting, detailing hiring and promotions that occurred in the 2017 calendar year.

Last year, three of nine new support staff did not have a priest or parish reference. All seven facility hires did have one.

Baragar said teachers without a clergy reference would typically have a non-Catholic pastoral reference.

Staff must verbally commit to participating in the RCSD’s “faith development activities,” and the administration monitors their participation. Ideally for the division, teachers are hired having taken at least two university courses in Catholic theology or studies, religion, scripture, Christian philosophy, family life or equivalent.

If they don’t have that experience, they must achieve it within two years of being on staff, or instead take RCSD’s six-lesson Growing in Wisdom and Grace course.

Baragar mentioned one teacher had neglected to meet the criteria two years into her employment.

She finished it when she was reminded that “if she wasn’t able to fulfil that part of the contract, we would be parting ways.”

Another reason for “parting ways” would be if an employee behaved or spoke contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

In the event of such a complaint, the division would follow grievance and dispute resolution processes outlined in collective bargaining agreements, legislation or administrative policies.

Substitutes and casual staff, who don’t have contracts, are subject to the same rule.

“We would need to investigate and have a conversation with them about what they said, what their intent was,” said Baragar. “We’re also influencing our children as they’re on their faith journey, so we have to be mindful of that, and we do follow the teachings of the Catholic Church.”

Staff that demonstrate their support of “the Gospel and Catholic liturgies, masses, practices, traditions and ceremonies” will be favoured for promotions.

Within three years, all teaching staff will be required to have treaty training, a mandatory two-day course offered by the division. Most new teachers take the training in university.

We would need to investigate and have a conversation with them about what they said.