Religious Persecution by HWDSB Awakens Christians

Christian students and parents alike were rudely awakened by the latest act of religious persecution enacted by the principal of Westmount High School and backed by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board(HWDSB). In mid-November, youth pastor Mark Bonham was requested to attend a meeting with principal Marg Bowman. During this 1.5 hour meeting, Pastor Bonham was informed by principal Bowman that the weekly lunch hour discussion club which he had convened for four years in the Westmount High School was being dismantled and that he was no longer welcome on the Westmount campus. The reasons given were said to stem from conflicts that the discussion club basis was said to have with Policy/Program Memorandum No. 112 from the Ministry of Education.

Policy/Program Memorandum No. 112 was prepared in response to an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling of January 30, 1990 which ruled essentially that public schools must not permit the teaching of a single religious tradition as if it were the exclusive means through which to develop moral thinking and behaviour. More simply; the Court wished to ensure that public schools were not singly teaching one religion, thereby discriminating against other religions. Memorandum No. 112 put in place 4 amendments to sections 28 and 29 of regulation 262 of the Education Act which were intended to enforce the Court ruling. It is amendment 4 which seems to be at issue with HWDSB.

" Boards of education may continue to provide space before the beginning or after the close of the instructional program of the school day for indoctrinational religious education. Given the provisions for equality of treatment in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, boards choosing this option must make space available on an equitable basis to all religious groups."

Using Memorandum No. 112 as a basis, HWDSB then issued a statement which defined the school day as being from the start of classes until dismissal and stated that, "Faith-based or religious clubs will not be permitted during the school day." It is important to note that neither Memorandum No. 112 nor HWDSB have defined the term religious club. At issue now is the blatant discrimination of clubs which are religious (still undefined) and those clubs which are not religious. It seems that HWDSB defines religious as any ideology whose core foundation is based on the existence of a deity such as God. If this is the case, then HWDSB is forbidding the assembling of students who wish to discuss relevant teen issues from the viewpoint that there is a God and understand His direction regarding the various issues. At the same time however, HWDSB is permitting other clubs to meet during the lunch hour provided they are godless in nature. HWFAC views this not only as discriminatory but also as religious persecution.

At the December 1, 2003 Education Committee meeting at the Board of Education, students and parents alike filled the board room to capacity with many standing along the walls and squeezing into corners to show their support for Pastor Mark Bonham and the Westmount students. Many carried flashlights covered in tissue paper to resemble candles shining in the darkness as Pastor Blake Davidson and parent Harold Laser presented to the committee. It was encouraging to listen as Pastor Blake gave a truthful and unashamed presentation of the Gospel. A key point made by Pastor Blake was that Halton board not only allows these discussion clubs to take place over the lunch hours, in fact, the board encourages them, recognizing the value that they bring to students. Trustee Lillian Orban stated, " This is not just local, it is provincial and national. It has placed Hamilton on the map." She went on to note how important religious based families are in society and expressed her desire to see P.A.C.E. classrooms in Hamilton schools.

All 11 trustees voted to seek consultation with Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy and then to meet with group representatives and form a policy which will allow for discussion clubs to meet during the lunch hours. In the mean time, Pastor Mark Bonham and the students will continue to meet every Friday over the lunch hour, outside on a soccer field through winter weather until HWDSB permits them back in the school. You can help to speed up the progress by contacting your trustee, Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy and MPP Marie Bountrogianni and asking them to move this issue forward immediately.