Saskatchewan turns back the clock – 60 million years

It is true – humans and dinosaurs do walk together, but only in the Saskatchewan legislature.

Former students of a private school accredited by the province are demanding the government ban the curriculum that taught them (among other things) that humans and dinosaurs inhabited Earth at the same time, and that the Loch Ness monster is living proof.

For the record, the science is conclusive: there is about a 60 million year gap between the disappearance of dinosaurs and the evolution of human ancestors. Only Biblical literalism claims otherwise.

Saskatoon’s Legacy Christian Academy is one of dozens of private fundamentalist schools funded at least in part by taxpayers. LCA receives $700,000 annually. There is virtually no oversight of curriculum standards, teaching methods, or children’s rights.

A group of former students has formed not just to call out the “Academy” for failing to give them an education preparing them for the work world. They have also launched a $25 million lawsuit against the school claiming they were subjected to emotional and physical abuses including exorcisms, solitary confinement and beatings called “paddling”. 

Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government includes many MLAs who are, or who are supported by fundamentalist Christians. Since it took power in 2007 the SP has consistently attacked and underfunded public schooling, offering parents cash subsidies and tax benefits to put their kids in private schools, many of them run by Christian organizations. At the same time they have reduced regulation and oversight of education in the name of “cutting red tape”.

Moe’s government has been trying to evade and minimize the problem. When a CBC reporter tried to reach a palaeontologist at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum to respond to the assertion that homo sapiens and dinosaurs coexisted, his call was forwarded to the Education Minister’s office, who then refused to take the call. 

Caitlin Erikson, spokesperson for the ex-student group, led a delegation to the legislature to publicize the issue after her own MLA, Scott Moe himself, would not meet to discuss the issue.

So, for those keeping score, in the last month Scott Moe’s government has: welcomed convicted murderer and spouse abuser Colin Thatcher as a special guest to the legislature; expelled a young woman from the gallery for wearing an “Abortion is Health Care” T-shirt; and turned its back on students who were mis-educated and abused by the fundamentalist schools it funds.

Conservative premiers across Turtle Island are all attempting to turn back the clock on social reforms. But at 60 million years, Scott Moe is going for the record.