Saskatoon protest calls for provincial government accountability at church-run school

A rally was held across the street from Mile Two Church Sunday morning to protest the provincial government’s role in funding a church-run school tied to allegations of physical and sexual abuse.

“As a student group, we asked the government to make some significant changes to these schools, and the government has refused to do that. So we’re just here protesting, being visible,” former student Caitlin Erickson told Global News.

Legacy Christian Academy, a school run by Mile Two Church, is facing a class action lawsuit as a result of the allegations. None of these allegations have been proven in court.

On Sunday, protesters called on the province to re-evaluate why it funds the school as former students claim the school’s policies don’t align with the Human Rights Code of Canada.

Erickson, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, claimed there’s been mistreatment of students at the school, and that the province hasn’t mandated proper curriculum to this school, as well as other Qualified Independent Schools.

“They can keep making statements behind the four walls of their building. But we’re here to be visible this morning as they’re driving, driving to church,” Erickson said.

Last November, a biology textbook from the school that was part of the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) curriculum and SAICS (Saskatchewan Association of Independent Church Schools) received scrutiny after it was found stating that dinosaurs and people co-existed with each other, using the theme of dragons throughout history to support that theory.

In a statement sent to Global News Friday, the Ministry of Education said:

“The Education Act, 1995 makes provision for the registration of independent schools. This provision allows parents/guardians to educate their children in accordance with their conscientious beliefs, which may include faith-based education, and provide them with a legitimate exemption from a public or separate school.”

“The Government of Saskatchewan believes in the importance of supporting parental choice and the ability to access faith-based education in Saskatchewan.”

Erickson said the province is missing the focus.

“They don’t talk about the children at all. They keep talking about parents, right? But they are really missing the piece on what about these kids here,” Erickson explained.

“It is really baffling that the real focus is on parents choice but there’s no focus on the students, because a lot of children don’t have a choice on where they go to school. So, as a government, you have a responsibility,” Erickson added.

Around a dozen former students and teachers showed their support at Sunday’s rally, but the vast majority were members of the general public who say they are standing in solidarity.

“I’m an educator. I teach at the university. It’s important to me that everyone has the skills to be able to go to university. That means they need an education. A public education. And if public money is being paid for an education, then students should get a public education” Jeff Long, an attendee of the rally, told Global News.

Noam Loyola, another attendee, was inspired by the actions of Erickson and wanted to show his support.

“She’s just been a really strong voice for people who have left the church and experienced harm from the church. And so being able to, first off, see everyone who came out to lend a voice to those who have been harmed. And just seeing those who can see the harm that fundamentalism brings to specifically youth who are growing up, it is really strong,” Loyola explained.

Loyola said these issues don’t just lie with Mile Two Church, but across the province.

“In rural Saskatchewan, there’s a lot of fundamentalism still within smaller churches. We would go to this church and they would have seminars about why it was not okay to be gay, and why you had to pray in order to get attraction to the appropriate gender. We were taught this in the church that I grew up in,” Loyola explained.

Mike Hutchinson, his wife and his four children all went through schooling and services provided through Mile Two Church decades ago when it was operated under the names ‘Christian Centre Church’ and ‘Christian Centre Academy’.

Hutchinson left the church.

“We started trimming them back because you’d hear the preaching and it was literally, it’s safer in here than it is out there. You start compromising what you believe in until you hit a point where it’s like, you know what? That hit a core value that I’m not willing to compromise anymore,” Hutchinson explained.

“We have a gay son and they started vehemently preaching against gays, people with tattoos…just anyone that was different than the norm. And for us, that was the turning point. We said enough is enough,” Hutchinson said.

Erickson said she’s seen a lot of community support, noting she’s received messages from people saying if they can’t be at the rally, they are supporting them in spirit.

She said this has nothing to do with religious freedom and attacking religion, pointing to other churches who have denounced Mile Two Church after the allegations came out.

—with files from Brody Langager, Brooke Kruger, Nathaniel Dove and Kelly Skerjven