The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy. It said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child’s right to freedom of religion.
The case was brought by an Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular education. But the ruling has sparked anger in the largely Catholic country, with one politician calling the move “shameful”.
The Strasbourg court found that: “The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities… restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions.” It also restricted the “right of children to believe or not to believe”, the seven judges ruling on the case said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.
Mrs Lautsi complained to the European court that her children had to attend a public school in northern Italy that had crucifixes in every room. She was awarded 5,000 euros ($7,400; £4,500) in damages. But many politicians in Italy have reacted angrily.
Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the crucifix was a “symbol of our tradition”, and not a mark of Catholicism. One government minister called the ruling “shameful”, while another said that Europe was forgetting its Christian heritage. The government says it will appeal against the decision. The Vatican says it will study the ruling before issuing a comment.
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