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The Legault government closed the door on Wednesday to those parents who want to pull their children out of any class taught by a teacher wearing a religious symbol.

Quebec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge laid out the government’s position after signatories to an open letter published in Le Devoir on Wednesday cited the “right to secular institutions and public services” contained in Bill 21 and called for the right to pull their child out of any class taught by someone wearing a religious symbol.

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Roberge said it wasn’t up to parents to choose or shop for their teachers, adding that such an option was never part of Bill 21 nor would the government move in that direction.

While Bill 21 calls for a ban on religious symbols worn by certain public servants including teachers, the law includes a “grandfather clause” that exempts those employees who were already wearing such symbols when the bill was passed.