The International Campaign For One Secular School System will be holding a press conference at Parliament Hill in response to the Halton Catholic District School Board’s new ‘Catholic values only’ fundraising rule.
The publicly funded Halton Catholic District School Board, which oversees 33,000 students in 46 elementary, 9 secondary and 4 continuing education facilities, passed a resolution to ban fundraising for charities that run counter to Catholic values. Under this ban, its schools will no longer be able to raise money for groups that directly or indirectly support abortion, contraception, sterilization, euthanasia or embryonic stem cell research.
This means their students will have to dissociate from charities such as the Red Cross, the Canadian Cancer Society, all hospitals including Sick Kids Hospital, the Terry Fox Foundation, all universities, all science centres and other organisations.
“It is clear that in Canada more validation has been given to ethnicity, religion and culture due to multiculturalism and cultural relativism, rather than universalism and secularism resulting in the segregation of society based on individuals’ ethnicity and religion. This division has caused serious damage in Canada. “The Catholic Board’s decision will mean that students’ human rights will be denied by the imposition of religious dogma.” stated Homa Arjomand.
“The Halton Catholic District Board of Education’s decision should be everyone’s concern.”
“If we do not take this decision seriously, students will be denied their fundamental freedom of conscience and limit their freedom of expression. Religious privilege will prevail over human rights, equality, liberty and the universal rights of children. We should not compromise the general principal for individual and civil rights. We encourage everyone to speak out and stand up for the students’ fundamental freedoms.”
“It is the duty of the government to protect universal rights of children; no one has the right to segregate children and place them under religious dogmas, traditions and habits; No one has right to prohibit children from participating in any fundraising for improving the life and standard of living of all global citizens.”
“We declare that all forms of intimidation aiming to suppress freedom of expression and freedom of religion and conscience should be forbidden. It is our duty to not allow any restriction towards freedom of expression. We stand firm to not only tear down the resolution of the publicly funded Halton Catholic District Board of Education but also propose for all school districts in Canada: Public Funds for Public Schools!…secular Public Schools, which respect human rights.”
“The time has never been more right than today, in the 21st century, to call for one publicly funded secular school system with French and English Boards, and no public funding for any faith-based schools.” added Homa Arjomand.
The press conference will take place at Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada, on Thursday April 12, 2018, at 12-1:00 PM.
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