Teaching the 1 Million March 4 Children: Using religious literacy to foster citizenship

On 20 September 2023, protests called the 1 Million March 4 Children were held across Canada to contest education about sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in K-12 schools. The involvement of Muslims in the March leadership, the counter-protests of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and allies, and the likelihood that the issue would be personally relevant to classroom students made the March a controversial issue for teachers to discuss in classrooms. At the same time, the March offered opportunities for students to learn essential citizenship skills through engagement with a relevant and controversial issue. Using the March as a case study, this article presents religious literacy as a framework for dialogue and a means to develop citizenship skills. A religious literacy framework developed in Canada can support teachers when teaching controversial issues involving religion because it highlights diversity, can develop communication skills and takes identities seriously.