We recently received an email expressing some anger at the change to the public school system in Morinville. It probably isn’t an isolated sentiment, so we have decided to reply to it publically (names removed).
I’d like to take opportunity to congratulate your society for turning our town of Morinvilleon its back.
I’m sure you are feeling smug about your accomplishments of assisting a handful to purge God out of our school, an amazing school that my girls proudly attended years ago.
I believe this decision to disrupt our town was based on principal and NOT the greater good of our students, our citizens.
Imagine 1800 students that were once content, now displaced to serve but a handful. Disrupted kids – bigger picture – disrupted town.
I imagine that our teachers are MOST excited to work in drafty portables. Crammed schools result in a significant compromise to the students – they no longer experience the support they once remembered.
Teachers overworked and unhappy do not invest in their students. This WILL ultimately affect the morale and sense of community in our town.
A faith based town, once pioneered by my ancestors, built around a CHURCH. This was our heritage.
You have taken a piece of it.
Congratulations.
Thank you for your message. The pain and angst you feel over this situation is very clear.
We too are members of neighbourhoods and communities, we have families, many of us with children in schools. We sincerely understand your frustration for the families and the children being asked to move schools to facilitate this solution.
Your letter, however, seems to blame us or the ‘handful’ of families for this situation. We respectfully suggest that this blame and anger is misplaced.
We are all lucky to live in this wonderful country we call Canada. Together we collectively agree to accord certain rights to each other, whether part of a majority or minority, we have a shared platform of values which we accord EVERY member of our communities.
Such rights include freedom of religion and equally, freedom from religion. We also agree that all should be treated equally. That is part of why this country & our communities are such a great place to live. It is this respect and generosity of spirit toward our neighbours, regardless of differences that makes us Canadian.
The problem itself in Morinville was a simple one. Members of your community wished their children to have a secular education. Whether it was one or ten or one hundred or one thousand is irrelevant (and neither will we know the true number for some time, as factors involving coercion, convenience & reluctance to change all play a role. What is certain is that the new school will be full in a very short number of years). Those families had a RIGHT to request a secular Public education for their children. They are not wrong for that. The Public school division at that time (GSACRD) had a legal and moral obligation to fulfill that requirement and declined to do so. If you want to look at those responsible for the outcome of this situation we would suggest looking at a Public School Board that choose to ignore the laws of our Province and to deny children in their care their rights. All it would have taken, for this issue to quietly go away, was for GSACRD to provide a method for opting-out of all religious instruction.
Secondly, Alberta Education is ultimately responsible for how our school system is run and for shaping the ‘solution’ to this problem. Not us. Not the parents who simply asked for their children’s rights to be met and the school system’s legal obligations to be fulfilled. If you don’t believe this was the correct solution then surely it is Alberta Education that you should be addressing with your concerns – and your angst.
Lastly, it is a simple statement of fact whether you like or not that Canada, Alberta & Morinville are changing. The numbers and the percentage that believe specifically in Christian dogma are dropping. People who may be ‘spiritual’ without ascribing to any particular religion are increasing. People (religious or otherwise) that believe in secularism are increasing. People of non-belief are increasing. It is inevitable that this change is also going to be seen in your community. Morinville is no longer predominately Catholic, just as it is no longer predominately French-speaking. The challenge for all of us in this change is how we treat each other within our communities.
Do we embrace those of different beliefs or do we reject and ostracize them? Do we learn from each other or do we judge and condemn? Do we show compassion and empathy? Do we share and accommodate? Ultimately, do we respect each other? These are not questions separated by beliefs. These are the shared values that make us Canadian and that make communities work.
We wish you, the families concerned on all sides and the community of Morinville the very best as you try to mend from this emotional and difficult period, and that this transition is as painless as possible. We believe if the parents and leaders in the community light the way, the children will follow and the pain and rift can heal sooner.
Sincerely,
Society of Edmonton Atheists
I wonder why the person blames us, and can only assume they noticed some similarities between the APUPIL membership & ours. Assuming this, I’d like to point out that Luke Fevin & Donna Hunter (& possibly others I haven’t met yet) came to us, for sympathy mostly, when this fight had already been going on for a long time. They were not atheist activists. They just wanted their children’s rights respected, and the ugliness inflicted on them for this simple wish pushed them to reach out to the atheist community for support & understanding. They joined our club WELL AFTER their complaints began. It is certainly not a case of some atheist conspiracy causing the situation, which I can imagine some people paranoidly imagining. SEA is connected to this issue only in the fact that we care, not as a guiding force at all.
I just felt that needed to be pointed out.
I’ll refrain from getting into the secularism debate for the millionth time, and just say that as a member I wholeheartedly stand behind this letter. Very good job (MK?)!
Oh, I don’t get to take the credit for writing that one. The entire Board thinks it’s a great response, which is part of the reason there’s no name attached to it.
This reminds me of American southerners blaming the Union for “stirring up trouble” or “dividing communities” with the civil war. It wasn’t the progressives creating disharmony, it was the conservatives digging in their heels and refusing to act in accordance with the law and basic ethics. If GSACRD had obeyed the law and provided children with a secular education, there wouldn’t be any “drafty portables”.
I feel like the same kind of situation is at work with women at atheist and skeptical conferences; feminists are being blamed for dividing the community, but should the blame fall on the people committing injustice, or the people who raise a stink about it?
(I’m a brand new member- but a lifelong atheist)…I just want to commend SEA for their support in this issue. I’m a senior but even when my children were attending school I would not allow them to participate in ‘morning prayers’ ..this was in the time when prayers were allowed in public schools.
I have met numerous atheists/agnostics that are still ‘in the closet’ because they fear loss of jobs, friendships, relations with family members, and this is sad. I rarily meet a non-believer that will snub a person simply for their religious beliefs, yet there are religious people who will literally step back from an atheist, as if it’s contagious!. I don’t think I will ever see a secular world but hopefully the next generation, or the one after that will put god in the same basket as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.
“Just because a billion people believe it, does not make it true”
I’ve worked with a clique of Morinville residents for seven years. I’ve gotten to know them well. The mean minded and semi-literate response you’ve recieved doesn’t surprise me, particularly the ironic touch that this person can’t even spell the name of their own town correcly.
In response to the responses:
To offer some perspective from the other side – Morinville is a small quiet town originally settled as a group of French Catholic citizens. My own family belonging to that original settlement.
As various churches settled in over the years, the town grew together in unity, all free to practice and embrace their own faiths without disturbance. This was good. It felt like “Whoville”, safe and synergistic.
2 years ago – the town was startled by loud demands of a public school.
Ive chosen the word “demands” because this approach was not gentle nor was it entirely fair based on how it was presented over the course of these 2 years. Morinville citizens felt blindsided. Not attacking, just being honest about feelings.
The initial reaction among the people – confusion. This confusion was based on a very small minority speaking with powerful voices. Confusion lead to panic, leading to defense and ultimately outrage.
Comments made toward the “Catholic Hillbillies” and various judgements and attacks about our faiths and culture were certainly not ideal means of helping the people support the change.
This I believe escalated the situation toward “us” and “them”. I hope I raise a valid point here.
Now to be fair – we are aware that our side retaliated with our own judgements and comments. It was reactive, and I believe very typical for most people feeling cornered. This does not excuse our behaviours, Im just trying to shed some light.
The measures used to spread awareness were difficult to understand and the motives behind it. It placed the town in defense mode.
We felt attacked based on OUR belief systems. We did not understand the rationale behind displacing 350 students out of their school to accommodate 40 (I apologize if this number is inaccurate, 40 was delivered to me by a member of GSACRED).
I do realize this number has grown to nearly 100 for September for registrants.
We fear the outcome of unhappy teachers and students in portables, crammed in schools. Its a valid concern. Unhappy kids – unhappy community. WIll bullying now be an issue? Grade averages drop with the morale? Displacement will no occur without consequence.
We believe this decision was based on principal rather than the greater good of our town, our students.
The presented cost effective solution to bus Public students to Namao was not even considered as a means of graduating students into a future public school. We fully understand that a public school has every legal right to stand in Morinville. This is not the issue. The Catholic Parish kindly sacrificed its hall to accommodate the Public school, yet select atheists in town insult the church, our people, our faith. Please help us understand how one bites the hand that feeds it.
The demand for Public school slammed the media – topic hot. The energy placed behind this issue I believe is what placed the town on high alert and defense mode. The media was all too accommodating in delivering a message that reflected how “unreasonable” our citizens are.
Please bear in mind I speak “majority” and not being specific to every single reaction.
Its common knowledge that when folks are alerted and feel threatened, they will experience a whole array of emotions such as fear, anger, panic, despair, worry… Please allow us the human experience of reacting accordingly. We feel that our NEED is being taken from us and as a majority we have no voice.
We feel the approach used to acquire a public school was not in the best interest of the town. We feel that had this been raised with a higher level of respect and consideration for our majority (the people who have been raised, and are raising children here) may not have been made to feel threatened. Perhaps with a different approach to communicate the need for a public school – there may not have been this elevated reaction.
Food for thought?
I truly believe the bottom line – this is not a religious issue here. I feel that our town, that originally settled as Catholic has welcomed and embraced the other faiths. This was due to the fact that our newcomers respected our existing culture and did not make demands about change.
I truly feel that we can all live in harmony. Personally I am not a religion person, although my faith is very strong. I am (we are) entitled to live and express faith, just as everyone in this town. I believe our children are entitled to exposures of religious education so that as they become adults they can make a well rounded decision about their beliefs. We do wish to have those choices insulted or taken.
It deeply concerns some members of our town that the Atheism culture will insist on us changing ours – hide our God, our faith, our right to openly believe. This is based on the comments recently removed from your website. We are fully aware of the “haters” out there. This is a highly sensitive issue that is responsible for causing wars.
Lets be realistic, turf that has been well established is not automatically granted to newbies – its gradually earned.
For example – Grade 9 students must wait out the 4 years to earn their right to the back of the bus. Truth be told, if a grade 9 student made demands about prime seating halfway through their first year, Im certain the grade 11’s and 12’s would take care of the issue at the back of a parking lot.
In this case, the citizens of Morinville have pleaded with the Govt, they have roared their loudest roars, all to fall on deaf ears. Of course the town is angry.
Can we all live together harmoniously? I believe so, as long as there is respect on either side. This is going to take time and further communication an a healthier level that what we have experienced. Please stop your judgements about our faith.
I promise to work on mine.
The only constant in life is CHANGE.
The world is changing all the time. Evolving and moving forward.
Atheist “culture” is about free thought and free life. You can believe what you want, when you want and however way you want. You, however, HAVE to respect everyone in a community and that means in a PUBLIC setting, teaching someone else’s faith, in fact, forcing another faith upon children is wrong.
I employ many people, some religious, some not. I respect all of them equally and expect the same back.
Religious education is an oxymoron. Give the kids a chance to be able to think critically and if they choose religion, then so be it, at least it will be THEIR decision, not YOURS.
Tammy,
I offer a few thoughts, questions & corrections on your post;
You say, “Morinville is a small quiet town originally settled as a group of French Catholic citizens. My own family belonging to that original settlement.” – So what? The land you now occupy and seem to lay some historical claim over was originally ‘settled’ by the First Nations & other indigenous peoples. Your forefathers were part of a group that participated in the death of 18,000,000 native people in North America while they stole, bribed & tricked their land from them. If your forefathers were able to effect change in such a manner, why do you see peaceful, gradual ‘change’ as a problem now? Why do you think your ‘historical’ claim over Morinville is ‘special’?
You say, “2 years ago – the town was startled by loud demands of a public school.
Ive chosen the word “demands” because this approach was not gentle nor was it entirely fair based on how it was presented over the course of these 2 years.” – This statement is simply incorrect, i hope unintentionally. The families did not originally “demand” a “Public” school. They already had a Public school. GSACRD. The problem Tammy is that being a “Public” school brings with it certain responsibilities & obligations. The parents you are talking about simply asked their Public School to provide a service that GSACRD was legally & morally bound to provide – a secular education. GSACRD REFUSED! And that Tammy is the issue – and who you should be upset with here.
I attended a GSACRD meeting regarding this issue (they were my Public School Board too) and GSACRD stated that “Their first priority was to PERMEATE CATHOLICISM”. Not to provide the service to ALL their tax paying residents that they were legally obligated to provide, but to push religion on kids in their Public school. So Tammy, there’s your problem. GSACRD was breaking the law (several laws actually) and if they had met them it is likley that non of this would have happened and you wouldn’t have just had to give up a school. So if you want to be mad as someone, get your facts straight first and then go and talk to the people really responsible for this situation – GSACRD.
You say, “We felt attacked based on OUR belief systems. We did not understand the rationale behind displacing 350 students out of their school to accommodate 40” – again you are being disingenuous at best. The hate, nastiness & ostricisation was around long, long before there were any serious discussions about swapping a school over. Don’t use that as an excuse for the nasty, bigoted, torch carrying mob mentality that was whipped up (as evidenced by the wonderful banners that were hung prior to Lucaszuks visit).
Now I do believe that some may have felt their “belief system being attacked” – but that’s really a mental & logic problem that some people have with their faith. How does a group of families asking for their children to be not forced to observe religion in their Public school actually “attack” anyone’s beliefs? It doesn’t does it? In fact it would be rather foolish to suggest such a thing.
You say you are concerned because, “WIll bullying now be an issue? “. Really? I can’t think of anything more stunningly ironic than you writing that sentence. Yes, bullying might be an issue if the kids watch how their parents AND their school has behaved towards a small number of parents who have done nothing wrong since day one.
You say, “We feel the approach used to acquire a public school was not in the best interest of the town.”. You might actually be right. There are a number of people on both sides that think that the legislation invoked to carry out this ‘solution’ rewarded GSACRD with the benefits of Seperate School status for their wrong-doing & punished the Protestant Board in St. Albert for nothing other than being innocent bystanders. And who designed this solution? Donna Hunter? If you have a problem with this situation call GSACRD, if you have a problem with the solution call Jeff Johnson – but for Gods sake stop blaming the parents that HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG since day freakin’ one.
You say, “We feel that had this been raised with a higher level of respect and consideration for our majority (the people who have been raised, and are raising children here) may not have been made to feel threatened.” – Exactly how could the parents involved raised this issue with a “higher level” of respect? Please answer this question because I am really mystified at what you think they should have done differently? Why the heck was anyone on “your side” feeling threatened in the beginning? Because some families wanted to opt out? So what? Let them. Again it all comes back to their Public school, GSACRD not letting them opt out.
You say, “It deeply concerns some members of our town that the Atheism culture will insist on us changing ours – hide our God, our faith, our right to openly believe.” – I think there are 3 issues here;
Firstly ‘atheism’ has nothing to do with this. “The Parents” involved as best I understand includes people of faith, spiritual people, agnostics & atheists so how is this an ‘atheist’ issue? You again seem to not be in command of the facts of this situation.
Secondly, You appear to be confused about what ‘atheism’ actually is. Atheism is simply a position that there is insufficient evidence to believe in a deity. What is your issue with that? In fact, you are likely to find that most Atheists, while disbelieving in your god (or any others for that matter), with some holding the position that religious is for example ‘delusional and dangerous’ would still be the first people to march down the street with you to support and protect your ‘religious freedoms’. Which is of course another irony of this situation, that you and many of the people on “your side” haven’t given a flying fig for the ‘religious freedoms’ that are equally accorded to “the Parents” you are so mad at. Hypocritical at best, isn’t it?
I think what you are referring to here is ‘secularism’, or the equality of the freedoms you mention. Or, that in certain multi-cultural & multi-faith environments, simply removing religion or the favoring of one religion is the most appropriate course of action. No one is trying to stop you from praying, or having a Catholic school, or churches, or Sunday schools, or Christmas, or Easter or anything else. Jon Stewart put it best, “You are confusing a war on your religion with not getting everything your own way all the time.”
You say,”Lets be realistic, turf that has been well established is not automatically granted to newbies – its gradually earned.” Really? Who made you the boss? Canadians in Canada have to ‘earn’ their Rights? And you’ll let them know when that is? You show an obvious lack of understanding or respect for this issue or for the laws that govern our country.
You say, “In this case, the citizens of Morinville have pleaded with the Govt, they have roared their loudest roars, all to fall on deaf ears. Of course the town is angry.” So what? How old are you? You are justifying throwing a temper tantrum becasue you didn’t get your own way? See what I mean? You have this belief that you have “an entitlement to priviledge”.
Look, I’m really not comparing the two issues here, I’m just trying to draw a stark contrast. What you are saying is that a majority gets to vote on the Rights of a minority. So if the majority said colored kids had to use a separate water fountain then the majority should rule, right? Oh course not, and your position is just as stupid. “Other peoples Rights. You don’t get to vote on them. That’s why they’re called RIGHTS.” (courtesy Racheal Maddow)
You say, “Can we all live together harmoniously? I believe so, as long as there is respect on either side. This is going to take time and further communication an a healthier level that what we have experienced.” You just LOVE irony don’t you.
You say, “Please stop your judgements about our faith.” – OK, this is a separate issue to the “Morinville School Issue” but just to be clear – “NO!” I will not stop my judgements about your faith or anyone else faith for that matter. In fact I reserve the right to form and communicate an opinion about anything I like. Again, I find it ironic that you have made judgements about the parents involved and judgements about atheists & atheism (and you have been incorrect about ALL of them) but you don’t want us to judge you?
Tammy, seriously – you may not like this letter or it’s tone but it’s about time you and others gave their heads a shake. You don’t have the correct facts. You don’t understand the Rights issue. You don’t understand who’s actually at fault for A) The Problem (spoiler alert, it was GSACRD) or B) The Solution, which was the responsibility of Alberta Education.
Right from the start many people in your community have been bigoted, close-minded, ill-informed, divisive, petty, nasty AND NOW you want to play nice?
I really hope you all do find a way forward, but it’s going to be a long a painful road if you continue to believe & spread mis-information & continue to blame the wrong people here. Your community should grab itself by the balls, cut itself a large slice of humble pie and go publicly apologize to the families that have be terrorised by their community for simply asking for the most basic Rights for their children.
Luke Fevin
So the way to “live harmoniously” is to allow a Public School to ILLEGALLY convert our children to a faith not of our choosing?
If this were an issue of prejudice against a race I think it would be easier for some people to see the problem, vs it being a matter of prejudice against noncatholics.
The South certainly would have seemed more “harmonious” to the self-absorbed average white person, if Rosa Parks had just gone to the back of that bus. But I certainly hope we all agree that her rocking the boat was an excellent thing. Letting the majority trample the minority does keep the peace in a way, I suppose, but that doesn’t make it the right thing to do.
As an addendum, I believe the enrolement in Morinville Public Elementary School is North of 200 and rising. Pretty good for a school that didn’t even have a school until a couple of weeks ago. And so much for ‘just a few families’, eh?
Apparently we reproduce like rabbits when given access to public education free of theological bias….
Well said Luke.
Is this the same catholic system that denied a bullying problem with NOT one, but two of my kids. Saying its a boy thing? Against my nine year old daughter. Or how about when the bullying was against my son with disabilities. Coming home covered in marker stab marks and crying but the kindergarten teacher didn’t see anything. Was it because he has a disability (which the school said he didn’t have and was only due to my poor parenting… A now diagnosed issue)? Was it because he’s native? Was it because he’s a foster child? Or was it because i’m a single foster mom? Hmmmm… Bullying problem indeed… Look inwards GSACRD. How about the day said kindergarten teacher YELLED at my 5 year old in the hallway when he was crying that he had no friends after school. She yells at him infront of other kids and parents that it wasn’t true, he’s around kids all day… Not what he said incase you missed it. Bullying by the teachers? Good job GSACRD! Now that we have fully switched to SSD my kids no longer fear bullying, are loved and nurtured and I have NEVER been judged, only warmly supported. Honestly I didn’t judge either system when I enrolled 2 kids at GSACRD when I moved here in September and 1 in SSD because of my kids choices… However with the treatment, judgement and inferior education at GSACRD all of my kids have now chosen to be proud Morinville Public School Dragons on their own! So it is no surprise to those who know the amazing work this school is doing that our numbers have gone from the “40” that the misinformed love to throw around to over 200 at last count (and growing). Of course GSACRD has the bigger numbers… It’s kind of a bonus to having a monopoly isn’t it? I for one applaud and thank the brave group of parents who endevoured to fight of the rights of all Morinville children, out of it has come an outstanding school and kids that get their religious beliefs from those they should- their families and churches. Stop throwing stones and deal with the realities of a democratic country built on rights and freedoms NOT what any particular religion feels they should FORCE on everyone. This isn’t women’s rights in the 60s, Mississippi in the 50s or Germany in the 40s but with the propaganda I hear daily around this town I have to wonder… Rights are rights, whether your black/white/aboriginal, female/male, gay/straight, catholic/Protestant/Christian/Jewish/Hindu/or anything else… Calm down, get over it and let’s move on TOGETHER! This is a great town, let’s prove we can move past this issue. We didn’t take anything away, and why should it matter where we choose to educate our kids? You had a chance to give us our rights, you declined to- So some brave and amazing parents had to fight for them. I am proud to know you and benefit from your hard work… Thank you!
Great points, and I commend you for fostering!
From what I’ve heard this is very much like GSACRED’s response to the “Why are you converting my kids to Catholicism in a PUBLIC (not Catholic) school?” issue: They want to ignore problems rather than fix them; make excuses not changes.
The lady above says the secularists “caused” the strife, but the way I (and the Supreme Court, and most of the other Provinces…) see it, GSACRED caused the problem to escalate, by breaking the law, and worse by refusing to smarted up and do the right/legal thing when this was brought to their attention. Forced participation in religious practices was removed from Public Schools in most places DECADES ago. We have a separate school system for all who want their kids religion-trained during school- I can’t see how that isn’t enough for Catholics, why they feel they should be allowed to turn EVERY school into a Catholic School; why they aren’t satisfied with having an entire tax-funded school system.
She says it was a sudden and strident request, but it wasn’t. Polite requests happened at first, then meetings happened… it wasn’t til a year or more had passed that the complainants started to go to the media. Because the Board would not accept compromises (such as silent, private prayer/reflection time to replace the group chants) but dug in its heels and fought to continue breaking the law and making non-christian families outcasts, the Board forced these families to go to greater and greater lengths to protect their kids’ rights. (Would anyone actually just shut up and allow their children to be converted at school? Would these angry Catholic parents really meekly allow the Public School to push Islam or Wicca on their kids without fussing, just because a majority of local families had that culture?)
She also says the natural result of the controversy was “panic”. How does your kid having to pray silently rather than aloud, or even having to pray outside of class time rather than during, threaten your wellbeing? let alone to the point of PANIC? Some of these people act like the gov’t were considering outlawing Catholicism, churches etc. It’s such a slight change, to go from class prayers to praying on your own… I just don’t see the harm to Catholics. Why do they care so much?
If people want their kid’s day filled to the brim with church stuff, they could always send the kid to a Separate school rather than a Public one.
It seems to me that since no one has made a single reasonable argument for keeping the prayer (Oh “tradition” is NOT a reasonable argument! If it were, we’d still have rampant racism & sexism!) the true motive must be something unspoken. Perhaps converting the children of nonchristians against their parents’ struggles is the actual goal, and not just an unfortunate side effect of the custom.
As I read Tammy’s letter I am completely horified by her attitude towards Public Education. It is clear that she is unaware of what actually happened in her town and did not make an effort to educate herself. It saddens me that she would attack a group of individuals blaming them and truly believeing that she is in the right doing so. That would be like a member of this group attacking a Baptist group on line or a Gay Rights group on line. Its just simply wrong. And really, these parents asked for Public Education that is manditory in Canada, they did not ask for an Athiset School so why put it that way?? What else is clear is that these parents fighting for thier rights and thier childrens rights were VERY well Educated and knew how to go about this issue the right and legal way.
Tammy, do people wanting to move to Morinville have to ask you now? Should I put in a formal request to you? Or are you saying that anyone who is not Catholic or from Morinville can not move to Morinville unless they agree with what YOU say or believe? That is called discrimination. Canada is a free country in which you can move anytime you wan,t to any province, city or town without anyones permission let alone yours.It looks like the only “haters” out there are people with narrow minds like you. Get over yourself, get a hobby, its done. Move on. In the end you look like the bad guy to your community while the Parents who made change happen and made the government follow the laws at hand look like geniuses. They have presented themselves very well, knew what they were doing, knew the ins and outs of every details.
You and the other “haters” of people who are not followers of your desired beiefs should do exactly what Luke said…. “Your community should grab itself by the balls, cut itself a large slice of humble pie and go publicly apologize to the families that have be terrorised by their community for simply asking for the most basic Rights for their children” BEFORE it gets worse for yourself and your frinds.
You want people to be nice and get along…stop posting nasty things on other sites and talk to the people instead…man to man. The world is much bigger than Morinville…welcome to it