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Brazil's Supreme Court Maintains Approval of Religion Classes in Public Schools

09/28/2017 - 13h25

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LETÍCIA CASADO
FROM BRASÍLIA

With six votes in favor and five against, on Wednesday, September 27, the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) decided that teachers in public schools are allowed to profess their beliefs in classroom.

The members of the Supreme Court analyzed a request made by the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR).

The PGR believes teaching religion in public schools should only be of "non confessional nature." That means that the ideas taught should not be connected to a specific religion, and teachers should not be hired as representatives of their religions.

The case was filed by the Prosecutor General's Office aiming to change the current legislation.

Section 210 of the Brazilian Constitution rules that "religion classes, of facultative enrolment, must be taught during normal school hours in public elementary schools."

The rapporteur of the case, Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, agreed with the PGR; however, it was a dissenting vote. He was followed by Justices Rosa Weber, Luiz Fux, Marco Aurélio and Celso de Mello.

Justice Barroso said the text should be interpreted as "religion classes taught in public schools must be effectively facultative and have a non confessional character; it must be forbidden to hire teachers as representatives of religions to teach such classes."

The majority of the members of the Supreme Court, however, followed the opinion of Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

They believe the classes may be "confessional" (connected to specific religions). The 11 members of the Supreme Court agreed that the Constitution clearly states that religion classes must be facultative, not mandatory.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

Read the article in the original language

Lula Marques - 24.fev.2011/Folhapress
The Supreme Court of Brazil decided to maintain religion classes in public schools
The Supreme Court of Brazil decided to maintain religion classes in public schools

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