NDP leader Brian Mason had this to say about Bill 44, legislation tabled yesterday which allows parents to pull their children from class on the basis of belief:
All they’ve done is make Alberta look like Northumberland and sound like Arkansas.
Testify!
Bill 44 is
[a] controversial Alberta bill will enshrine into law the rights of parents to pull their children out of classes discussing the topics of evolution and homosexuality.
The new rules, which would require schools to notify parents in advance of “subject-matter that deals explicitly with religion, sexuality or sexual orientation,” is buried in a bill that extends human rights to homosexuals. Parents can ask for their child to be excluded from the discussion.
Education minister Dave Hancock:
“With respect to values, religion and sex education have always been areas of concern for parents, and they’ve always been areas parents have had the right to be notified about and to exempt their students from.”
