socialmedian: Crucifix ban in Italian classrooms

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Crucifix ban in Italian classrooms

Source: observer.guardian.co.uk

Nov 03, 2009

Summary

European court of human rights rules crucifixes that hang in classrooms violate religious and educational freedoms

There was uproar in Italy today over a ruling by the European court of human rights that the crucifixes that hang in most Italian classrooms are a violation of religious and educational freedoms.

The seven judges, whose decision could prompt a Europe-wide review of the use of religious symbols on public premises, said state schools had to "observe confessional neutrality".

Except on the far left, the ruling met with condemnation among Italian politicians, several of whom expressed astonishment. Silvio Berlusconi's education minister, Maria Stella Gelmini, said: "No one, not even some ideologically motivated European court, will succeed in rubbing out our identity."

The Vatican asked for time to evaluate the reasons behind the decision. But a spokesman for Italy's bishops condemned it as "partisan and ideological".

The ruling marked the end of an eight-year battle by a Finnish-born mother, Soile Lautsi. She took her cause to court after failing to get

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