Religious public schools in Canada

Now to dive into a rebuttal. I too will argue using the charter of rights and freedoms. However, I assert that in order for everyone to have a freedom of conscience and religion, the government must not fund religious public schools. To do so violates the freedom of people who do not support a religious school. It allows the taxes they pay to fund a school whose religious message they do not agree with. 1. -Opponent- Any schools are necessary, education and if any place provide this then it is legitimate and provides a place wear students in this area learn. To dismantle one of these schools would cost the government unnecessary debt, when they already have functioning schools already. I don't see your logic here. Why would the government, pending my proposal, decide to dismantle said schools. Wouldn't be a simpler job just to make them secular? Nothing would even need to be changed, should a school wish to keep and religious figures in place they could do so in keeping school tradition. Religious classes would simply be unable to be mandatory. 2. a- Opponent -The fact of discriminate based on faith my opponent addresses is a fact not supported by any evidence also that this is a opinion of what he believes these schools do, which is not always the case since schools are already having a decline in jobs and most likely can't hire people. but again he hasn't given any proof of discrimination. My proof of this comes from the UN human rights committee, which states that Ontario has been selectively funding the Roman Catholic schools while denying funding to other faith based schools (. http://www.cbc.ca...). My argument here is this. Either the government funds all faith schools that apply for funding or they fund none at all. 2. b-Opponent - Yes, however this is the parents choice, so if the parent chooses to then they choose to they don't have to. Sometimes the financial situation of a parent does not allow choice. Parents want the best education for their children, therefore if a separate school is cheaper than a parent may have no fiscal choice but to send them there. Despite, it being a religion that they do not agree with. I myself am an example of this occurring. Opponent- 3 - Who said the government supported the religious activity or education? All the goverment supports is education, all public schools need funding for their education programs and utensiles. Not funding these schools would not provide any utility nor help socitey. School that have religious veiws have the right to have their religous views according to the charter, plus the majority of the school could believe in this religion, are you really saying lets strip there freedom of religion. We shouldn't because this is their school, they should have the right to pray, or read the bible or etc in their school. This doesn't mean every person has to agree with their religion but accept it. My opponent is creating a straw man. He is stating that if we did not allow a publicly funded religious school that we would be violating people's freedom of religion. Just because a person has to go to a secular public school does not mean that their religious freedom is violated. People do have a right to freedom of conscience and religion as per the charter. A secular funded school system allows this far more than a religious system. . .. Opponents Case. .. Religious public schools should have governmental funding for their education programs and in general provide education like every other school. As long as a school provides basic education for the students in should have govermental backing unless its a privite rich school who can provide this all on its own. So what does a relgious school harm? Nothing, nothing at all my opponent might say it infulences the kids into a religion but in the end that religion is there choice they don't have a gun to your head saying "JOIN US OR DIE! !! ". So theres really no diverse effects of a religious school, now further more its the choice of the parents to which school does a kid go to and if they do not want there then they would not put them there. This is all about rights and choices , and if someone choses to go to a religous school they have the right to and it ought to be government funded for educational purposes. As well as they have the right to their religious beliefs and should have a religous school if they please. My response. .. I have no problem with private religious schools, if people want to fund a private school via private donations for a faith that they support than that is their right. Again, because of the freedom of religion. However, when public money goes to a school of a religion that they do not support, that in itself is a violation of freedom of religion. The problem with indoctrination in a closed system such as a school is that children want to fit in. In many cases a child will succumb to peer pressure in order to fit in with the image of the school. Peer pressure can be just as effective as a gun to the head, to a child at least. As I mentioned above, parents in poor financial conditions often have little to no choice where they send their children. They often have to opt for the cheapest school. When this school is a religious school, they have to utilize it despite their own feelings and beliefs. Like you said above, ". .. if someone choses to go to a religous school they have the right. .. " I will argue that a person also should have the right to choose whether their taxes should go to a religious school division that they do not support. Religious freedom does not preclude the right to a publicly funded school for your specific faith. I look forward to your response.