Quebec Schools Tighten Secular and French Rules

Summary#

• Quebec’s Bill 94 strengthens state secularism in the education system and promotes the use of French. It sets clear rules for behavior, religious symbols, face coverings, and language use in schools.

• Most measures take effect October 30, 2025. Some details will follow by regulation.

• Key changes:

  • Students must keep their faces uncovered at school and when getting school services, with limited health, disability, or task-related exceptions. Similar rules apply to people working with or in contact with students.
  • The ban on religious symbols is expanded to most school service center staff, managers, and many service providers who work in schools or with students. Current employees (as of March 19, 2025) may keep what they wear if they stay in the same job; current service contracts are exempt until renewal. School bus drivers are not covered by the symbol ban.
  • Schools cannot use their spaces for religious practices like group prayers.
  • Stronger student conduct rules: no intimidation, violence, hate, or discrimination, and respect for equality between women and men. Anti‑bullying plans are expanded.
  • Principals must evaluate teachers every two years. Teachers must share lesson plans on request. The minister sets expected teacher competencies and can step in if a school service center breaks the rules.
  • In francophone school service centers, staff and some contractors must use French only in most on‑site communications with students or other staff, with narrow exceptions; Indigenous languages are allowed.
  • No religious accommodations are allowed for face‑uncovered rules, religious symbols, use of school spaces, and certain other listed duties. The law states these parts apply despite rights in the Quebec Charter and the Constitution.

What it means for you#

• Students and families

  • Students must keep their faces uncovered at school and when receiving school services, unless a health, disability, or job‑specific need requires covering.
  • School rules will more clearly ban intimidation, violence, hate, and discrimination, including those based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or physical traits.
  • School spaces cannot be used for religious practices (for example, organized prayers).
  • More communication will be in French in francophone school service centers; exceptions apply when needed for a student’s success or for health or safety.

• Home‑schooled children and their parents

  • Must have faces uncovered when receiving services from the school service center or ministry staff, unless there is a health, disability, or task‑related need. If not, the service will not be provided.

• Teachers and other school staff

  • Principals will evaluate you at least every two years and may ask for your lesson planning.
  • Your conduct and decisions must reflect Quebec’s democratic values, gender equality, and state secularism.
  • If you work in a school or with students, you must keep your face uncovered while providing services, with limited exceptions.
  • The religious‑symbol ban now covers most school service center staff when on school premises or in the presence of students, and directors general and their deputies. Employees in the same job as of March 19, 2025 are exempt while they stay in that job.
  • Requests for religious accommodations that require time off cannot reduce or disrupt student services, and cannot exceed the days off in your working conditions.

• Principals and administrators

  • You must adopt and enforce updated conduct rules and anti‑bullying plans that also cover hate and discrimination, social media, and clear sanctions.
  • You must ensure the face‑uncovered rules are respected and include them in contracts and agreements.
  • You must conduct biennial teacher evaluations and may request teachers’ planning.
  • The minister can intervene if your center does not follow applicable laws or regulations.

• Contractors, volunteers, and service providers

  • If you regularly provide services on school premises, or provide services to students anywhere, you may not wear religious symbols while doing so. Existing contracts in force on October 30, 2025 are exempt until renewal. School bus drivers are exempt from the symbol ban.
  • You must keep your face uncovered when providing services to students or when on school premises in contact with students, with limited exceptions.
  • Contracts must include code‑of‑ethics and face‑uncovered clauses.

• Private schools

  • Must adopt stronger conduct rules and anti‑bullying plans like public schools.
  • Student contracts must require faces to be uncovered on school premises and when receiving services, with limited exceptions.
  • Staff at non‑subsidized private schools must work with faces uncovered.

• Francophone school service centers

  • Staff must use French only in most on‑site communications with students or other staff, unless a second language is needed for the student’s success or for health or safety. Indigenous languages are allowed.
  • Service contracts must require similar French‑only communication by people working with or regularly in contact with students.

Expenses#

Estimated annual cost: No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Creates a clear, neutral school environment free from pressure tied to religion, which they say supports learning and gender equality.
• Sets consistent rules for staff, visitors, and contractors, closing gaps and making enforcement easier.
• Expands anti‑bullying measures to cover hate and discrimination, aiming for safer schools.
• Promotes French as the common public language in schools, while allowing Indigenous languages and needed exceptions.
• Regular teacher evaluations and clearer competencies aim to improve teaching quality and student results.
• Clear limits on accommodations reduce service disruptions and protect instructional time.

Opponents' View#

• Limits freedom of religion and expression, especially for people who wear religious symbols or face coverings, and may exclude some from school jobs or services.
• Denying services when a face is covered (in some cases) could harm access for families, including newcomers and some women.
• May increase policing of dress and personal beliefs in schools, creating tension and possible profiling.
• The French‑only rule on premises in francophone centers could burden recent arrivals and some staff; exceptions may be too narrow.
• Added duties (biennial teacher evaluations, contract changes, monitoring) may raise administrative load and costs.
• The law uses override clauses to apply despite Charter and Constitution rights, which critics say sidesteps rights protections and invites legal challenges.