Aboriginal Educational Policy in Ontario (Canada): Professional and Moral Implications for Catholic Teachers

This paper presents the policy context of Ontario (Canada) education for Catholic teachers. The analysis suggests that a seminal policy related to Aboriginal education compels Catholic teachers to profound considerations of what it means to teach in the Catholic faith. More specifically, it suggests that the policy, when juxtaposed to the other policies and practices, force Catholic teachers to account for ideological and political implications related to their practice. It is argued that Catholic teachers are bound to analyze critically the tensions and complexities of Aboriginal students’ epistemic realities and the profound socio-political implications that contribute to a new and different level of professional and moral responsibility. 

This paper presents the policy context of Ontario (Canada) education for Catholic teachers. The analysis suggests that a seminal policy related to Aboriginal education compels Catholic teachers to profound considerations of what it means to teach in the Catholic faith. More specifically, it suggests that the policy, when juxtaposed to the other policies and practices, force Catholic teachers to account for ideological and political implications related to their practice. It is argued that Catholic teachers are bound to analyze critically the tensions and complexities of Aboriginal students’ epistemic realities and the profound socio-political implications that contribute to a new and different level of professional and moral responsibility.