Eight Families of Students with Disabilities Sue Ontario, Claiming Discrimination Against Disabled Kids At Private, Religious Schools

Eight families with children who have disabilities are suing the Ontario government over what they say is discrimination against children with disabilities who attend private, religious schools. Services are available to students with disabilities who attend publicly funded Ontario schools, but not to students who attend privately funded religious schools.

The families claim their children are being forced to choose between their disabilities and their faith. Hearing and vision-impaired students and students with learning disabilities can get government-funded therapy and services only if they attend public schools or Catholic schools. In Ontario, Catholic schools receive public funding. A lawyer in the case says this amounts to discriminating against certain disabled kids because they belong to the wrong religion.

Dayna Blustein, a 14-year-old student who is deaf, said she had to leave the Jewish school she'd attended in Toronto since Grade 1 because of her disability. At the private school, her parents paid for special equipment and staff to help her learn, she said. Now that she's at a public school, the government is picking up the tab.

While the parents involved in the lawsuit say they're not trying to force the government to fund all religious schools, some observers say that's exactly what a win in this case could do. Interim Progressive Conservative Leader Bob Runciman described the lawsuit as a "crack in the door" that could force Ontario to fund all private religious schools. 

What do you think? Should students with disabilities receive government-funded services at private religious schools? If Catholic schools get public funding, should all religious schools receive the same government help? Should religious schools receive public funding at all? Keep in mind that we're looking at a case in Canada, where there is no disability act.

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