Jewish Children Will Be Admitted to State-supported Protestant Schools in Montreal Susurs

The provincial government of Quebec has aunounced the signing of an agreement by the government, the Protestant school authorities in the Outremont suburb of Montreal and the Jewish community in the area for the education of Jewish children in Protestant schools.

An earlier accord for the same purpose expired on July 1 and the Protestant authorities refused to accept Jewish children. Since all schools in Outremont are denominational and the Jews do not have a school of their own, it was feared that the Jewish children would not attend school this fall. The Protestant and Catholic schools receive government subsidies and function in place of public schools.

Under the new five-year agreement the Protestant schools will accept all Jewish children living in in the suburb, the children will receive the same treatment as the Protestant children except that they will not be forced to attend Protestant religious study classes or ceremonies and will be excused on specific Jewish holidays.

Michael Garber, chairman of the Jewish School Commission, which fought for the preservation of the right of Jewish children to attend the Outrement institutions, said that three important provisions which the Jews had proposed were not included in the agreement. They were: that Jewish children not be segregated; that Jewish teachers be eligible for appointment and promotion in the school system; and that ten more holidays than granted under the agreement be guaranteed the Jewish children. However, Garber stated that the Jews “were given to understand” that no sogregation would be practiced.