Debating Imam prayers in public schools with Sun TV Ezra Levant, plus IVF debate on AM640 Radio
August 10, 2011
Yesterday afternoon I joined Raheel Raza, Muslim Canadian
journalist, author, public speaker, media consultant, anti-racism
activist, and interfaith coordinator, on Sun TV News’ The Source with
Ezra Levant. Levant is a polarizing figure you either love or hate.
He’s well known for his book Shakedown, which documents the
censorship crusade of many Human Rights Commissions in Canada. But
that wasn’t the theme of our conversation.
The topic was our shared concern for the mixing of religion and
public education through the continued public funding of Catholic
Schools coupled with the introduction of outside religious leaders into
schools, such as through Imam-led prayers in school cafeterias or the
distribution of Gideon bibles in classes.
I firmly believe educational world religion classes are vital for each student to understand the world they inhabit and should be accessible to all students, but draw the line when it comes to granting exclusive and privileged access to students or schools to religious authorities for non-educational purposes.
Earlier in the morning, motivated by the article Ontario couple childless while Quebec parents enjoy fully-funded IVF, Associate Pastor of Westminster Chapel Scott Mason and I debated the pros and cons of health care funding for in vitro fertilization (IVF) on the John Oakley Show on AM640.
My heart goes out to infertile couples that want nothing more than to bring life into the world, and should be given whatever tools are available to assist. Additionally, as is the case in Quebec, provincial funding for IVF would provide enhanced maternal health and possibly save money in the long run. By mandating that public clinics provide no more than a single embryo at a time, we can reduce multiple pregnancies that often lead to unfortunate and expensive complications.
#1 jean nutson (Guest) on Thursday August 11, 2011 at 5:14am
This issue of public funding of religious institutions and the introduction of outside religious authorities into public schools as well as the distribution of bibles and other religious materials into public schools is a very serious form of crime which is equivalent to tyranny because nobody sends the child to school to learn religious practices and beliefs,they should be left with the churches and the mosques but certainly not into schools especially public ones.