TEACHING CIVIL LIBERTIES IN ONTARIO

The Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust (CCLET) is generously supported by grants from the Law Foundation of Ontario, the Tory and Osler law firms, and the donations of many individuals.

That's Not Fair! the cry of students, teachers - and civil libertarians everywhere. Virtually every law, every rule, and every time a parent tells a child to stop doing something, a right or freedom is limited. How can we teach our children to use their critical thinking skills to analyse these limits to freedom? Some limits may be required to ensure peaceful coexistence; some to ensure social justice; but some are simply unfair. Which limits are fair and which are not? What if our views on fairness change over time?

These questions, questions with no simple answers, are at the heart of educating citizens to participate in the democracies which shape their lives. Over the past few years, teacher-candidates in Ontario's faculties of education have had an opportunity to participate in Teaching Civil Liberties seminars conducted by CCLET staff and volunteers. In dealing with questions like those above, they prepare for the controversial issues that will inevitably enter their classrooms.

For examples of cases discussed, please see the CCLET Bernard Chernos Essay Competition on the CCLA website: www.ccla.org/schools. If you are a teacher, please consider using this year's competition as an assignment - and then send us your students' best essays.