Academics & Education

CSDM warns prospective teachers about religious symbols, despite saying it wouldn’t apply Bill 21 Commisioner says government threats of putting CSDM under trusteeship unfair

(CBC) Quebec’s largest school board appears to be falling into line when it comes to the province’s new religious symbols law, despite saying earlier this summer it wouldn’t apply the rules until holding further consultations. The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) began quietly including a notice […]

Academics & Education

Helsinki preps schools, NGOs to spot FGM, forced marriage trips A working group survey revealed that at least 10 children had 'disappeared' from Helsinki primary schools in 2017.

(Yle) The city of Helsinki has announced a programme to help schools and children’s NGOs better recognise situations where planned trips by migrant-background families might endanger children’s safety. According to a report by tabloid daily Ilta-Sanomat, the guidelines will advise adults working […]

Academics & Education

When CSIS comes knocking: Amid reports of Muslim students contacted by spy agency, hotline aims to help Creators of University of Toronto-based student support line say spy agency often on ‘fishing expeditions'

(CBC) When Ramz Aziz received a nervous phone call from his mother-in-law two years ago, it wasn’t to check in on his new baby. Instead, two men were at her door, looking for him. The pair identified themselves as public safety officers, and […]

Academics & Education

Muslim Council of Britain slams the Daily Telegraph for ‘inaccurate’ flu vaccine story The MCB will file a formal complaint against the newspaper, a spokesman said.

(HuffPost) The Muslim Council of Britain has denied issuing a “ruling” that parents should not vaccinate their children against flu, following an “inaccurate” frontpage story in the Daily Telegraph. In Monday’s edition an article by Bill Gardner reported that the MCB, Britain’s […]

Academics & Education

Toronto recruitment centre stabber cleared by appeal court to attend college on his own Prosecutors argued the board's ruling gave too much consideration to Ayanle Hassan Ali's needs and too little to public safety

(Canadian Press) Ontario’s top court has upheld a decision allowing a man found not criminally responsible in a knife attack at a Toronto military recruitment centre to eventually take college classes on his own. The appeal court says the Ontario Review Board […]

Academics & Education

Quebec federation of school boards says it will obey secularism law this fall The province's largest board has said it would hold consultations before banning religious symbols

(CBC) Quebec’s federation of school boards (FCSQ) says it intends on obeying the province’s new secularism law when classes resume in September. The move comes after the province’s largest school board, the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM), said it would not enforce the […]

Academics & Education

MP Michael Cooper disparaged ‘goat herder cultures’ in 2008 law class discussion, lawyers claim Conservative MP denies allegation, says he's taking 'all necessary legal measures'

(CBC) Conservative MP Michael Cooper made comments deriding “goat herder cultures” during a discussion about Islam’s compatibility with Canadian democracy when he was a law student at the University of Alberta a decade ago, according to two lawyers who have come forward […]

Academics & Education

Germany’s imam quandary: Educate, don’t import Ending foreign influence on Muslim religious leaders' education is a long-term goal for the German government. A new study might lead the way for training local imams, if all parties involved are willing to participate.

(Deutsche Welle) A new report published Tuesday proposes a concrete solution to Germany’s ongoing dilemma about how to educate Islamic religious leaders. The goal is to create a seminar that would offer graduates of Islamic theology institutes in Germany the possibility to […]

Academics & Education

Germany: Leading politicians call for a ‘European Islam’ Everyday measures are key to preserving the European way [of] life, say Germany's health minister and the premier of Schleswig-Holstein state. Jens Spahn and Daniel Günther want a faith that shares the continent's values.

(Deutsche Welle) Two senior German politicians have called for a more progressive form of Islam in order to align the religion with the European way of life. Health Minister Jens Spahn and Schleswig-Holstein State Premier Daniel Günther published the appeal Thursday in […]