Religion
EU: Court rejects crucifix display in Italian schools
Strasbourg, 3 Nov. (AKI) - The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday ruled in favour of an Italian woman who opposed the display of a Catholic crucifix at her children's school. Soile Lautsi, from Abano Terme, a small town outside the northern city of Padua, had lodged a the case to protest against the crucifix at the state school. She was also awarded 5,000 euros in damages.
"The presence of the crucifix...could easily be interpreted by pupils of all ages as a religious sign and they would feel that they were being educated in a school environment bearing the stamp of a given religion," said the verdict of the court, based in the French city of Strasbourg.
"This could be encouraging for religious pupils, but also disturbing for pupils who practised other religions or were atheists, particularly if they belonged to religious minorities."
According to the verdict, the Italian state is to "refrain from imposing beliefs in premises where individuals were dependent on it...and was required to observe confessional neutrality in the context of public education, where attending classes was compulsory irrespective of religion, and where the aim should be to foster critical thinking in pupils."
In a media statement the court said Lautsi had alleged on behalf of herself and her children, that the display of a crucifix in the state school attended by her children (in 2001-2002) was contrary to her right to ensure their education and teaching... in conformity with her religious and philosophical convictions.
Both her children, aged respectively 11 and 13 years in 2001-2002, were students at the Vittorino da Feltre public school, located in Abano Terme.
Lautsi informed the school of her position, referring to a judgement by Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation in 2000, when it found that the presence of crucifixes in polling stations to be contrary to the secularism of the state.
After extensive legal wrangling, on 13 February 2006, Italy's State Council dismissed Lautsi's appeal, stating that the cross had become one of the secular values of the Italian constitution and represented civil values.
"The presence of the crucifix...could easily be interpreted by pupils of all ages as a religious sign and they would feel that they were being educated in a school environment bearing the stamp of a given religion," said the verdict of the court, based in the French city of Strasbourg.
"This could be encouraging for religious pupils, but also disturbing for pupils who practised other religions or were atheists, particularly if they belonged to religious minorities."
According to the verdict, the Italian state is to "refrain from imposing beliefs in premises where individuals were dependent on it...and was required to observe confessional neutrality in the context of public education, where attending classes was compulsory irrespective of religion, and where the aim should be to foster critical thinking in pupils."
In a media statement the court said Lautsi had alleged on behalf of herself and her children, that the display of a crucifix in the state school attended by her children (in 2001-2002) was contrary to her right to ensure their education and teaching... in conformity with her religious and philosophical convictions.
Both her children, aged respectively 11 and 13 years in 2001-2002, were students at the Vittorino da Feltre public school, located in Abano Terme.
Lautsi informed the school of her position, referring to a judgement by Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation in 2000, when it found that the presence of crucifixes in polling stations to be contrary to the secularism of the state.
After extensive legal wrangling, on 13 February 2006, Italy's State Council dismissed Lautsi's appeal, stating that the cross had become one of the secular values of the Italian constitution and represented civil values.
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