EUROPE/SPAIN - Associations promoters of conscience objection present list of practical criteria for parents who do not wish their children to attend lessons in Education to Citizenship

Friday, 14 September 2007

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - On the eve of the beginning of the school year, 31 associations and civil platforms, promoters of objection of conscience have prepared a Decalogue of practical criteria for parents in view of Education to Citizenship during the school year 2007-2008. The Decalogue argues in favour of the juridical basis of freedom of education and conscience objection and explains how parents may present the communication to the school. It recalls that conscience objection is, according to the law of the Constitutional Court is a right recognised explicitly and implicitly by article 16.1 of Spain's Constitution, which deals with ideological and religious freedom and for its application no specific legal development is necessary. In this sense parent objectors exercise a constitutional right, therefore any sort of sanction, penalty or retaliation on the part of the Administration is inadmissible.
The document informs parents that the declaration of objection may be presented before or after the course has started and underlines that the school is obliged to accept such communication. Among other indications, it is stated that once the declaration of objection has been presented the pupil need not assist at lessons of Education to Citizenship, although under no circumstances can the pupil's absence from school be justified. The pupil will take part in alternative activities as long as they are not contrary to the parent's convictions.
In a recent Pastoral Letter, Bishop Demetrio González of Tarazona (Spain), wrote that although for some people the education law although might appear to be no to negative, “it is necessary to read the law on education and the royal decrees which develop it to grasp what the legislator demands: to education the moral conscience of children and adolescents who will be citizens of tomorrow ". He therefore considers concern justified and stresses the need to do everything possible. "History will judge those who raised their voices to denounce what appears to us to be a violation of freedom and to help parents discern carefully". Bishop Demetrio recalls that "parents may have recourse to all legitimate means available to protect their children from this danger", each must judge according to conscience. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 14/9/2007; righe 27, parole 368)


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