VANCOUVER, May 5, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two weeks ago a directive issued by the Ministry of Education in British Columbia calling on parents in a specific homeschooling program not to use religious materials in the program set off a firestorm of protest. Last week the government modified its directive but the controversy continues. About 6,800 BC students were involved in a government set-up distance education program whereby homeschoolers were enrolled with a public school but doing their education at home and receiving testing and teaching via computer. The situation is complicated by the funding formula for homeschooling and independent schooling in BC which covers 50% of education costs for non-public school students.
A dilemma arose since distance-education home schoolers were registered with public schools and laws forbid religious texts in public schools. The Ministry thus thought to forbid homeschooled children registered with the public system from using religious texts, rather than altering the system. The decision was roundly criticized. BC Unity Party Leader Chris Delaney called on the government to alter the designation system within the Ministry rather than denying parents their constitutional rights in educating their children in their own homes.
The government has now allowed at least some of the parents affected by the directive to continue the distance education programs for their children and register with independent schools rather than public schools. There is no restriction on the use of religious texts with independent schools.