DOES THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION CONCERN SCHOOL STUDENTS?
The parents protested against obligatory attendance of the facultative course “Fundamentals of the Christian Orthodoxs Ethics” by their children. This information was given to the press-service of the Belarusian Christian democracy by the priest of the local Protestant church “New Generation” Uladzimir Kachahur.
– I was informed that it is obligatory to attend the facultative course “Fundamentals of the Christian Orthodox Ethics” by my daughter Nasta. I was surprised, as Navahradak is a multi-confessional town, the inhabitants of which belong to Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches. I would like to stress that I have nothing against the Orthodox confession, but how the obligatory attendance of the facultative course fulfills the freedom of religion?
Uladzimir Kachahur decided to attend the course session himself to find out more about the situation.
– It turned out that none of the parents had been informed that their children would attend this course. However, the rule of facultative courses prescribes providing this information to the parents. Moreover, the children were not told that the course is facultative, so it should be their own decision whether to attend it or not.
Uladzimir Kachahur hopes that the teachers will act according to the law in future. However, in case of any type of pressure imposed over his daughter or other children he is determined to defend their rights.
