News, March 2008

Court allows objection to 'Citizenship' classes in school

4th March. The Andalusian High Court has admitted that parents have the right to 'concientious objection' to the socialist government's 'Education for Citizenship' subject. The subject is meant to cover those area of values and behaviour which allow people to live together in harmony and interact with wider society. However, the problem is that the socialist idea of values clashes fiercely with traditional Roman Catholic values, not to mention those of Muslims or Bible believing Evangelicals. Now the court has admitted the religious nature of many objections and thus permitted that parents have the right to withdraw their children from these classes.

6th March. Today the regional government of Madrid has recognised the decision of the Andalusian court and made 'Citizenship`a voluntary subject in the next academis year, should there be no change in the law in the mean time (i.e. change of government).

Since education is dependent on the regions, some of those regions run by the right wing Partido Popular have either not imposed this subject or have allowed substantial adaptations to be made to the curriculum to allow for religious or philosophical objections.

In February, the Asturian High Court concluded the opposite - that no objections can be found in the curriculum. This means that there is not an open and closed case for reform yet. However, the Andalusian decision, based on decisions of the Constitutional Tribunal and the European Court of Human Rights, opens the way for more political consideration. A number of other cases are also before the courts in several regions, a dozen or so alone in Andalusia.

The evangelicals have been divided over this subject, although most would agree that there are areas covered which should be the sole prerogative of parents. On the other hand, most recognise the need to teach other areas of interpersonal behaviour and how to participate in social and political life. It is now hoped that the future government will rewrite the curriculum for this subject in such a way that those aspects which raise substantial objections in society may be excluded, leaving the bulk of the subject either in tact as such or to be taught in some other class.