EU bans crucifixes in Italian classrooms
Quote:
A European court has banned crucifixes in Italian classrooms as they are a 'breach of the religious rights of children'. Vatican officials were said to be 'furious' after the European Court of Human Rights made its landmark ruling today. The ruling, which could force a Europe-wide review of the use of religious symbols in government-run schools, rejected arguments by Italy's government that the crucifix was a national symbol of culture, history and identity, tolerance and secularism.
The court also ordered the Italian government to pay 5000 Euro moral damages to Soile Lautsi, the mother who had brought the complaint.
The judgement said that having a crucifix in the classroom was a 'violation of the right to parents to educate children as to their own wishes and a violation of liberty of religion of pupils'.
Italy immediately said that it would appeal against the ruling - which will be enforced in three months. Italy has been in the throes of national debate on how to deal with a growing population of immigrants, mostly Muslims, and the court sentence is likely to become another battle cry for the centre-right government's policy to restrict newcomers.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...-children.html
..coming to a country near you!
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