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Several Muslim organizations in Canada have filed a lawsuit seeking to declare an order by the province of Quebec that bans religious activity in schools as unconstitutional. The groups, including the Muslim Association of Canada, the Canadian Muslim Forum, and four local organizations, have asked the Quebec Superior Court to invalidate the prohibition on prayers and other religious practices in public schools, citing discrimination and a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The lawsuit specifically requests a declaratory judgment on the interpretation of the principles of secularism and state neutrality in relation to religious practices in public spaces. The groups argue that these principles should not be used to enforce blanket prohibitions on prayers or religious activities.
The ban on prayers in schools was issued by Quebec's education minister, Bernard Drainville, on April 19. The decision came after reports of some Canadian schools allowing students to gather on school premises for prayer. Drainville defended the directive, stating that school spaces should not be utilized for religious practices.
In their court filing, the Muslim organizations highlight the importance of state secularism in ensuring that the government remains neutral towards religion. They assert that this neutrality should not favor one religion over another or target any specific religious group.
It is worth noting that a Canadian Senate committee report released last month stated that Islamophobia is deeply embedded in Canadian society, with black hijab-wearing women being particularly vulnerable.