Supreme Court of Canada rejects parental opt-out claim

The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected the claim that the refusal of the school board to allow an exemption from the controversial Ethics and Religious Culture Program voiolates the rights of the parents who sought to exempt their children from the ERC program. The case, S.L. v. Commission scolaire des Chenes, is basically the Canadian version of the Mozert case. The parents argued that the program, which they contended promoted relativism, interfered with their ability to control the education of their children. The Supreme Court of Canada concluded that the mere exposure of the children to the program did not infringe their freedom of religion because the children were not forced to join any of the religions discussed in the program.

Richard M.