In a legal decision worth applauding, the Supreme Court has decided that parents cannot exercise a right of conscientious objection to the newly introduced Citizenship module in Spanish schools. The anodyne and harmless content of this course has been treated by Catholic extremists as if it was the greatest threat ever created to Christian "civilization". How dare the state presume to teach ethics or even more dangerous concepts such as tolerance to our children! Can't you see they will force our children into compulsory gay marriage! Of course, if a priest is put in charge of the teaching then it's a different matter, the objections quickly fade away.
The Partido Popular in Madrid and Valencia rose to the challenge and did their very best to sabotage the new module. In Valencia, a ridiculous attempt to impose the teaching in English of what is probably now known in that region as "sitisenchip" finally collapsed in the face of growing opposition from teachers and parents. In Madrid the Outlaw Esperanza seized selectively on a favorable court ruling in Andalucia and promptly treated this as if it was the law, allowing parents to exempt their children from the compulsory course. Now they've lost the battle and the early signs are that they may even reluctantly recognise the defeat, although the tiny but vocal groups organised around the issue seem determined to have a few martyrs for the holy cause. The court took its time to consider the issue taking into account the speed with which they often send people to prison. You have to allow for the fact that they usually only deliberate before lunchtime.
The Partido Popular in Madrid and Valencia rose to the challenge and did their very best to sabotage the new module. In Valencia, a ridiculous attempt to impose the teaching in English of what is probably now known in that region as "sitisenchip" finally collapsed in the face of growing opposition from teachers and parents. In Madrid the Outlaw Esperanza seized selectively on a favorable court ruling in Andalucia and promptly treated this as if it was the law, allowing parents to exempt their children from the compulsory course. Now they've lost the battle and the early signs are that they may even reluctantly recognise the defeat, although the tiny but vocal groups organised around the issue seem determined to have a few martyrs for the holy cause. The court took its time to consider the issue taking into account the speed with which they often send people to prison. You have to allow for the fact that they usually only deliberate before lunchtime.
2 comments:
Unbelievable isn't it? What non-Spanish speakers won't be able to glean is the hazy rhetoric that these intolerant homophobes couch their objections in.
Never once do they directly mention the word, just the obscure mention of "ethics" or "morality". As if their intolerance to ideas opposed to their bronze age manual had anything to do with ethics in the 21st century!
A minor victory, but at least it's a step forward. Now what can be done about all those images of tortured men hanging on the walls of public buildings around the country?
See some of the comments from the God fearing faithful quoted here -
http://tinyurl.com/cyljd2
What really hurts them is that narrow minded bigotry isn't genetic.
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