Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Like most Western nations and regions, Flanders and Québec are characterized by increasing religious diversity and secularization. Accordingly, ‘learning to live together’ is a main objective in their public education programmes. In spite of this similarity, both regions seem to interpret the concept of ‘living together’ in a different way and especially when it comes to wearing religious symbols and organizing religious education in governmental schools, there is a huge difference between the Flemish and Québec policy. In this article, we will have a closer look at both policies and try to find out which one is to be preferred in their present educational contexts.

Keywords

Flanders (Belgium)Québec reasonable accommodation religious education religious symbols

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alberts

(2007) Integrative Religious Education in Europe: A Study-of-Religions Approach. Berlin; New York: Walter de Gruyter.

Baril

Baillargeon

(eds) (2016) La face cachée du cours éthique et culture religieuse. Montréal, QC, Canada: Leméac.

Beaubérot

(2008) La laïcité expliquée à M. Sarkozy et à ceux qui écrivent ses discours. Paris: Albin Michel.

Bouchard

Taylor

(2008) Building the Future. A Time for Reconciliation. Québec, QC, Canada: Ministry of Québec.

CBC News (2018a) CAQ government wants to know how many teachers wear religious symbols. CBC News, 28 January. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-religious-symbols-1.4995774 (accessed 11 March 2019).

CBC News (2018b) François Legault would invoke notwithstanding clause to ban hijabs from civil service. CBC News, 2 October. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/francois-legault-coalition-avenir-quebec-1.4846838 (accessed 11 March 2019).

CBC News (2018c) Quebec’s plan to ban religious symbols amounts to a ‘witch hunt’, teacher says’. CBC News, 5 October. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-caq-religious-symbols-1.4851301

CBC News (2019) Ban on religious symbols, education reforms top agenda as National Assembly resumes. CBC News, 5 February. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/caq-legault-national-assembly-1.5005263 (accessed 11 March 2019).

Chan

WYA

McDonough

(2019) 10 years on: new perspectives on Quebec’s ethics and religious course [Special issue]. Religion & Education 45: 249–250.

10.

Clemens

Palacios

Loyer

, et al. (2014) Measuring Choice and Competition in Canadian Education an Update on School Choice in Canada. Montreal, QC, Canada: Fraser Institute.

11.

Council of Europe (2004) The Religious Dimension of Intercultural Education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing.

12.

Council of Europe (2008) Recommendation CM/Rec 12 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the Dimension of Religions and Non-Religious Convictions within Intercultural Education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

13.

De Morgen (2018) Hoofddoekenverbod op school: ‘GO! schendt grondwet met ongehoorzaamheid’. De Morgen, 16 January. Available at: https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/hoofddoekenverbod-op-school-go-schendt-grondwet-met-ongehoorzaamheid~bea203557/

14.

De Standaard (2018a) De diepe barst. De Standaard, 3 February. Available at: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20180202_03336726

15.

De Standaard (2018b) Ouders van elf leerlingen starten rechtszaak tegen hoofddoekenverbod op school. De Standaard, 15 January. Available at: https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20180115_03300760

16.

Estivalèzes

Lefèbvre

(eds) (2012) Le Programme d’Ethique et Culture Religieuse. De L’exigeante conciliation entre le soi, l’autre et le nous. Québec, QC, Canada: Presses de l’Université de Laval.

17.

Franken

Loobuyck

(2013) The future of religious education on the flemish school curriculum: a plea for integrative religious education for all. Religious Education 108(5): 482–498.

18.

Gazet van Antwerpen (2009) Met een verbod beschermen we meisjes zonder hoofddoek. Gazet van Antwerpen, 23 June. Available at: https://www.gva.be/cnt/aid842566/met-een-verbod-beschermen-we-meisjes-zonder-hoofddoek-3

19.

Grelle

Jensen

(eds) (2011) The Quebec ethics and religious culture program [Special issue]. Religion & Education 38(3): 278–287.

20.

IPSOS (2017) Ipsos global study shows half think that religion does more harm than good. Available at: https://www.ipsos.com/en-au/ipsos-global-study-shows-half-think-religion-does-more-harm-good (accessed 20 April 2018).

21.

Jackson

(2014a) Signposts–Policy and Practice for Teaching about Religions and Non-Religious Worldviews in Intercultural Education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing.

22.

Jackson

(2014b) The development and dissemination of Council of Europe policy on education about religions and non-religious convictions. Journal of Beliefs and Values 35(2): 133–143.

23.

Lievens

Vrielink

(2014) Symbolenstrijd. De Raad van State en religieuze kentekens in het (Gemeenschaps) onderwijs. TORB 2014(3): 4–14.

24.

Loobuyck

(2014) Meer LEF in het onderwijs: Levensbeschouwing, Ethiek en Flosofie voor iedereen. Brussels: VUB Press.

25.

Loobuyck

Franken

(2011) Toward integrative religious education in Belgium and Flanders: challenges and opportunities. British Journal of Religious Education 33(1): 17–30.

26.

Maussen

Bader

(2015) Non-governmental religious schools in Europe: institutional opportunities, associational freedoms, and contemporary challenges. Comparative Education 51(1): 1–21.

27.

MELS (2003) Religious Rites and Symbols in the Schools the Educational Challenges of Diversity Brief to the Minister of Education. Québec, QC, Canada: Gouvernement du Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

28.

MELS (2004a) Québec Education Program Secondary School Education, Cycle One. Québec, QC, Canada: Gouvernement du Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

29.

MELS (2004b) Québec Education Program Secondary School Education, Cycle Two. Québec, QC, Canada: Gouvernement du Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

30.

MELS (2007) Secular Schools in Québec. A Necessary Change in Institutional Culture Brief to the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports. Québec, QC, Canada: Gouvernement du Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

31.

MELS (2008) Ethics and Religious Culture Program, Secondary Education Cycles One and Two. Québec, QC, Canada: Gouvernement du Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport. Available at: http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/site_web/documents/dpse/formation_jeunes/ecr_secondary.pdf (accessed 8 February 2018).

32.

MELS (2012) Québec education program – preschool and elementary education. Available at: http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/en/references/publications/results/detail/article/quebec-education-program-preschool-and-elementary-education/ (accessed 2 August 2018).

33.

Milot

(2014) École et religions au Québec: principes en débat et pratiques en questionnement. Histoire, monde et cultures religieuses 4(32): 55–66.

34.

Modood

(2017) Multicultural nationalism, political secularism and religious education. In: Multiculturalism – How Can Society Deal With It? A Thinking Exercise in Flanders (Report of the KVAB Thinkers in Residence Programme 2017). Brussels: KVAB Press, 13–42. Available at: http://www.kvab.be/sites/default/rest/blobs/1144/Draft%20report%20Thinkers%20on%20Multiculturalism.pdf (accessed 11 March 2019).

35.

OSCE (2007) The Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religion or Belief. Warsaw: Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights [ODIHR]

36.

Pierik

Van der Burg

(2014) What is neutrality? Ratio Juris 27(4): 496–515.

37.

Rijksoverheid

(2003) Leidraad kleding op scholen [Guiding line garments at school]. Available at: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/rapporten/2005/10/14/leidraad-kleding-op-scholen (accessed 19 June 2019).

38.

Sägesser

(2015) Vers une adaptation de l’enseignement de la religion et de la morale au paysage convictionnel du XXIème siècle? In: Leclercq

(éd.) Morale et religions à l’école? Changeons de paradigme (Empreintes philosophiques n°9, 2015). Louvain-la-Neuve: Presses Universitaires de Louvain, 35–53.

39.

Sägesser

(2017) Belgium–the French community. British Journal of Religious Education 39(3): 240–246.

40.

Schreiber

J-P

(2014) La Belgiuque, Etat laïque … ou Presque. Du principe à la réalité. Bruxelles: Espace de Libertés.

41.

Zucca

(2013) Lautsi: a commentary on a decision by the ECtHR grand chamber. International Journal of Constitutional Law 11(1): 218–229.

Learning to live together: Religious education and religious symbols in Flanders and Québec

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References