Quebec educational system and the Muslim community: why do some muslim parents opt for islamic schools?

Abstract

This inquiry investigates Muslim parents’ perceptions and experiences with public and Islamic education in Montreal. It examines how the public educational system is contributing, or not, to creating unity and harmony among future citizens. It also assesses parents’ rights to educate their children at the schools of their choice. A number of previous studies have covered Muslim students’ experiences with both the public and the Islamic school (Zine 2001, 2008; Memon 2009; McDonough et al. 2012; Tremblay 2014; McAndrew 2010). None of these studies, however, looked specifically at Muslim parents’ experiences and perceptions with both sectors. This paper aims (1) to shed light on the history of public schooling in Quebec, (2) to assess the factors behind the choice of the school, and (3) to contribute to debates on questions related to public and religious education in Quebec. We will show that important questions related to reasonable accommodations, to neutrality in public schools, and to the politics of harmonization in education need to be addressed.