NOTES ON PEOPLE (09/10/06)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Sociologist receives high papal honor

by Oksana Zakydalsky

TORONTO - Pope Benedict XVI, through the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, named Wsewolod W. Isajiw, University of Toronto professor emeritus, a Knight in the Order of St. Gregory the Great, civil division. The ceremony was held on June 20, at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael. Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic invested Prof. Isajiw into the order and presented him with the papal medal.

Prof. Isajiw was recognized for his "significant contribution to Catholic education, especially in connection with the proposed changes to The Education Act which would have prevented Catholic School Boards from considering an individual's faith when making employment decisions."

In Ontario (as in other Canadian provinces) there are two parallel tax-supported school systems - the public school system and the separate (Catholic) school system. Such a set-up dates back to Confederation (1867) and is guaranteed by the Canadian Constitution.

The right of the Separate School Board to take into consideration the teacher's faith in its hiring procedure was challenged in the Ontario court and Prof. Isajiw was asked by the Separate School Board of Toronto and the Ontario Separate School Trustees' Association to present an affidavit showing, using sociological arguments, why such a hiring procedure was necessary in order to fulfill the purpose of a Catholic education.

The argument in his affidavit revolved around the position that schools that are functional communities are more effective in building up social capital than the schools that are not such communities and that Catholic schools have better opportunities to form functional communities where teachers and students share common beliefs.

The conclusion of the affidavit stated that "if the purpose of Catholic education is to be fulfilled, it is essential to maintain Catholic schools that are religious-cultural communities and it is essential to the maintenance of such communities that Catholic schools must have the ability to select teachers who profess Catholic beliefs, values, attitudes and knowledge themselves."

The challenge to The Education Act on this point was not successful.

Prof. Isajiw held (until 1999) the Robert F. Harney Professorship in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies at the University of Toronto and is a specialist in the area of sociology of ethnic, race and minority group relations.

Soldier decorated with Purple Heart

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - On July 11 Army Specialist James Allen Jr., of Ypsilanti, Mich., a Task Force Warrior Soldier from the 2nd Batallion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, out of Fort Polk, La., was presented the Purple Heart award at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan by U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld during his visit to Qalat's Provincial Reconstruction Team.

On April 18, Spc. Allen and others were conducting a mission in Qalat when their Humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). He sustained severe lacerations, burns and bruises, but survived the attack without major injuries.

Spc. Allen, 21, is the son of James and Anna Marie Allen, and the grandson of George Rub, who are members of Ukrainain National Association Branch 292 in Detroit.

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