Secular education

A crucifix in a classroom at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Crucifixes in classrooms of public schools have become a matter of controversy in some countries.

Secular education is the system of public education in countries with a secular government or separation between religion and state.

An example of a secular educational system would be the French public educational system, where conspicuous religious symbols have been banned in schools. While some religious groups are hostile to secularism and see such measures as promoting atheism,^[1] other citizens claim that the display of any religious symbol constitutes an infringement of the separation of church and state and a discrimination against atheist, agnostic and non-religious people.

Actions and controversies

• In Turkey the promotion of Imam Hatip Islamic schools by the government^[2] following the March 2012 education reform bill, is alarming Turkish citizens.^[3] The Education Reform Bill was written without public debate or even discussion in the Ministry of National Education's own consultative body; it did not even figure in the government’s 2011 election manifesto. Besides undermining Turkish secularism, the new measures would undermine educational standards and deepen social inequalities, according to education specialists. Turkey’s leading universities, including Sabanci University, Bosphorus University, Middle East Technical University and Koç University, all issued press statements describing the reforms of 2012 as hastily conceived, retrograde and out of step with current thinking.^[4]
• In Italy the Lautsi v. Italy case was brought before the European Court of Human Rights regarding the display of crucifixes in classrooms of state schools.^[5][6][7]
• In Romania the CNCD Decision 323/2006 was brought to the CNCD by Emil Moise, a teacher and parent from Buzău County, regarding the public display of Orthodox icons in classrooms and was supported by some high-profile activists.^[8]
• In 2009 a new body was formed, the Australian Secular Lobby, to promote secular education in Australia.^[9]
• In Southern Thailand, the secular educational system is being undermined by insurgent groups by means of the destruction of schools and the assassination of teachers.^[10]

See also

• French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools
• Humanum Genus

References

1. The Islamic Response to the Secular Educational System
2. Asia News 08/24/2013 Turkish government promoting Islamic schools at the expense of secular education
3. The National - Rise of Islamic schools causes alarm in secular Turkey
4. Andrew Finkel in the International Herald Tribune of 23 March 2012 What’s 4 + 4 + 4?; accessed on 7 November 2012
5. Full text of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights
6. Press release of the European Court of Human Rights
7. Summary of the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights
8. Adriana Petrescu et al., Scrisoare catre CNCD re: simboluri religioase ("Letter to the CNCD re: religious symbols"), Indymedia Româna, 13 November 2006.
9. Faith in schools: The dismantling of Australia's secular public education system by Chrys Stevenson
10. No one is safe - The Ongoing Insurgency in Southern Thailand: Trends in Violence, Counterinsurgency Operations, and the Impact of National Politics, by Zachary Abuza, Human Rights Watch, p. 23

External links

• The case for a secular education system
• Principle of Secular Education
• Campaign for Secular Education