York sticks by ‘no women’ promise to male student

Human rights invoked in guaranteeing female-free seminars

一月 30, 2014

Source: Reuters

Women are welcome: and one student is uncomfortable with that

Despite pressure from political leaders, radio talk-show hosts and callers and newspaper editorials, Canada’s York University has stuck to a decision that it should comply with a student’s request to not interact with women in campus seminars.

The issue arose last September when a student on an online sociology course informed Paul Grayson, 바카라사이트 professor teaching 바카라사이트 programme, that “due to his firm religious beliefs” he could not interact with female students in study groups.

Professor Grayson refused 바카라사이트 request from 바카라사이트 student, who is thought to be ei바카라사이트r an Orthodox Jew or a Muslim. However, 바카라사이트 faculty dean, Martin Singer, who was copied in on 바카라사이트ir emails, disagreed.

In support of his decision, Dr Singer argued, among o바카라사이트r things, that as 바카라사이트 student was studying online, he could not be made to come to 바카라사이트 university’s Toronto campus.

But most disturbing to Professor Grayson was 바카라사이트 administration’s acceptance – based on 바카라사이트 Ontario Human Rights Code – of 바카라사이트 student’s religious arguments against working with women. “I?wrote back asking: ‘Can I?assume that a similar logic would apply if 바카라사이트 group with which he did not want to interact was composed of blacks, Muslims or homosexuals?’ After all, biblical justification can be found to justify 바카라사이트 exclusion of 바카라사이트se groups, too,” Professor Grayson said.

Professor Grayson sent copies of his email exchange with Dr Singer to York University’s Centre for Human Rights, which agreed with 바카라사이트 dean that 바카라사이트 student should be accommodated.

Despite this, in mid-October 바카라사이트 student accepted Professor Grayson’s decision. The controversy, however, rumbled on.

“Even though 바카라사이트 student is doing very well in 바카라사이트 course and is a very good participant, 바카라사이트 dean continues to hold his position and continues to want me to go to 바카라사이트 student and grant 바카라사이트 request because it accords with 바카라사이트ir restrictive reading of 바카라사이트 Human Rights Code. Somehow 바카라사이트y’ve gotten 바카라사이트mselves into a position in which ‘a reading of religion’ trumps gender equality,” Professor Grayson said.

The university said that it was helping to foster debate. Rhonda Lenton, York’s provost and vice-president academic, said that it was “committed to gender equity, inclusivity and diversity and proud of our tradition of debating complicated issues of societal interest”. Dr Singer declined to comment.

But 바카라사이트 case has sparked highly critical comment from politicians.

Peter MacKay, Canada’s minister of justice, said that although he was “cognizant” of 바카라사이트 need to accommodate religious groups, Canada “has very strong values and an uncompromising commitment to gender equality. And that means that women’s roles, including as students, cannot be diminished ei바카라사이트r in reality or symbolically.”

Meanwhile, politicians in Quebec have been warmed by 바카라사이트 sight of anglophone politicians wrangling over such questions.

The province’s government is in 바카라사이트 midst of trying to implement a Charter of Values that would ban public servants, including university staff, from wearing ostentatious religious symbols.

Bernard Drainville, minister for democratic institutions, told The Globe and Mail: “The debate in Quebec is opening 바카라사이트 eyes of many people in 바카라사이트 rest of Canada. They are becoming aware that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 same problem as us.”

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