ONTARIO MINISTER URGES MUSLIMS TO STAY IN GAY-ED CLASS: From the Canadian Press

[Via the conservative Western Standard blog, where you can find discussion in the comments. --Eve]

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty encouraged Muslim parents Wednesday to allow their children to attend public school classes that include teaching tolerance of gays and lesbians.

McGuinty and Education Minister Gerard Kennedy both reached out to Muslim parents who are upset about what the Toronto District School Board calls "anti-homophobia education" at a downtown school. ...

Controversy erupted after students at Market Lane Public School were shown videos that depicted the feelings of children who get taunted at school because their own parents are homosexuals.

Angry Muslim parents complained that their religious beliefs were getting less respect from the board than gay rights and demanded that their children be excluded on religious grounds from similar presentations in the future.

The board rejected their request Tuesday night on the grounds that allowing some students to be excluded from discussions about gay families would violate the rights of those children with same-sex parents.

"Ultimately, our civil values include respect for sexual orientation," Kennedy said before a cabinet meeting Wednesday.

"I don't think there's any harm done to parents who find their children exposed to ideas that are different than the ones they teach at home." ...

Ontario's New Democrats echoed the government's position.

"I believe that human rights come above religious rights," said NDP critic Michael Prue.

"I would hope Muslim parents would understand that they have chosen to move to a pluralistic society, and it goes along that that we have respect for everyone, including them."

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posted by Eve at 8:59 PM VOTE

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