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Press Release
We, secular humanists in Europe and members and affiliates of the
Center
for Inquiry (CFI), welcome the European Court of Human Rights
decision
regarding the removal of religious symbols in public schools in
Italy.
We strongly support its efforts to protect the human rights of
children
not to have religious dogma forced upon them anywhere in Europe. We
agree
with the court that the aim of public school education is "to
foster
critical thinking".
We urge that the Council of Europe take action to guarantee the
freedom
of children as set forth in the Convention of the Rights of the
Child.
Its Preamble states that "the child should be fully prepared to
live an
individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of peace,
dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity."
Article 29 of the Convention further states that:
The Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed
to:
(a) The development of the child's personality, talents and mental
and
physical abilities to their fullest potential;
(b) The development of respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the
United Nations;
(d) The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free
society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance,
equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic,
national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin;
(e) The development of respect for the natural environment.
As members and affiliates of CFI, we support freedom of religion;
parents should be able choose to send their children to private
religious schools at their own expense, provided these schools
meet minimal educational standards. However, we oppose state
funding of religious schools as a violation of freedom of
religion and the separation of religion and government. CFI calls
for an end to public support of religious education.
We congratulate the European Court of Human Rights on making a
substantial breakthrough with respect to the separation of State
and Church in Europe by denouncing the clericalization of
governments and the infringement of religious freedom in public
schools.
There is no reasonable alternative to secularism as the basis for
an
effective and responsible democratic government. The Center for
Inquiry
and its European branches promote the separation of state and
religion
and a secular legal and educational system as fundamental
democratic
principles.
Signed by
The Center for Inquiry
Dr. Paul Kurtz, Founder and Chairman Emeritus
Dr. Ronald A. Lindsay, President and CEO
Norm R. Allen, Jr., Director of African Americans for Humanism,
Co-Director of International Programming
Derek C. Araujo, Esq., Vice President and General Counsel,
Co-Director of International Programming
CFI EU
___________________________________________________
Dr. Gabriel Andreescu, Chair
J. Beth Ciesielski, Executive Director
Fundatia Centrul pentru Constiinta Critica
Romanian Branch of Center for Inquiry
Bucharest, Romania
___________________________________________________
Valerii Kuvakin
CFI/Russia,
Director
__________________________________________________
Dr. Andrzej Dominiczak
CFI Poland,
Director
___________________________________________________
Floris van den Berg, Annemarieke Otten,
and Rob Thielman
CFI - Netherlands and the Low Countries
__________________________________________________
Dr. Stephen Law
Suresh Lalvani
Great Britain
_________________________________________________
Luis Alfonso Gamez
CFI Spain
_________________________________________________
Hugo Estrella
CFI Italy,
President
_________________________________________________
