Melançon: Quebec's Public Schools Should Drop Religious Names for Secularism
As the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government intensifies its focus on secularism within the education system, a glaring contradiction has emerged, highlighted by columnist Raphaël Melançon. The push for a religion-free environment in schools, as championed by former education minister Bernard Drainville, clashes with the persistent presence of religious names on many public school buildings across Quebec.
The Secularism Debate and Bill 94
Bill 94, which extends the scope of Quebec's secularism law (Bill 21) to include school staff such as janitors, cafeteria workers, and volunteers, has recently come into enforcement. This legislation, described by Drainville as "guaranteeing a truly religion-free school environment," has already led to dozens of job losses as employees refuse to remove religious symbols at work. Estimates suggest up to 500 more staff in the Greater Montreal area could face layoffs in the coming weeks for non-compliance.
However, Melançon questions the consistency of this approach. He points out that while the government prohibits employees from displaying faith, many schools still bear names rooted in religious tradition, such as Catholic saints. This duality undermines the very principle of secularism the CAQ claims to uphold.
The Prevalence of Religious School Names
Drawing from compiled data, Melançon reveals that out of nearly 2,000 public elementary schools in Quebec, more than 500 are named after religious figures, predominantly Christian. This means over one in four elementary schools in the province carries a name referencing a saint, biblical character, or clergy member. The issue extends beyond elementary levels to many public high schools and CEGEPs as well.
These names are remnants of Quebec's past, when the Catholic Church dominated society and education until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. Older schools were often established by religious communities, with names tied to local parishes. Despite this historical context, the CAQ government has not addressed these naming conventions as part of its secularism agenda.
A Call for Change and Community Engagement
Melançon argues that in 2026, there is little justification for retaining religious names in public schools beyond nostalgia. He proposes replacing them with names that celebrate local contributions, turning the renaming process into a community-building exercise. Suggestions include:
- Honoring former students who excelled in sports, culture, or business.
- Recognizing individuals who became local elected officials or founded community organizations.
- Involving students and parents in public consultations to choose new names, fostering pride and creating role models.
This approach also presents an opportunity to address gender imbalance in public naming. As of 2020, only 10% of public places in Quebec were named after women, despite recent efforts to improve recognition. Renaming schools could help reduce this gap and achieve better balance.
Moving Forward with Consistency
Drainville has stated that "secularism in our public institutions and schools is a non-negotiable principle." Melançon contends that for the Education Ministry to be consistent, it must examine how schools are named across Quebec. By removing these relics of a bygone era, the government could align school names with 21st-century values and truly advance secularism in education.
Raphaël Melançon is a public affairs consultant and political analyst, with experience as a journalist and political adviser at multiple government levels.
