Hundreds of objections to Education for Citizenship presented in Madrid

Madrid, Spain, May 29, 2008 / 23:06 pm

The organization Padres en Accion has sent more than 862 new objections to the controversial school course Education for Citizenship to the city of Madrid, making the total number of objections filed nearly 7,000. 
 
The school course has not yet been implemented in Madrid.  Officials have set 2010 as a deadline for implementing the government-sponsored subject.
 
According to Professionals for Ethics, Padres en Accion is one of the organizations charged with promoting objections to Education for Citizenship.  Spokesman Celia Cuevas said the group has stepped up efforts to inform parents about the course in recent weeks by setting up kiosks on street corners, visiting schools and going door to door.

“Parents object to the course Education for Citizenship because it is mandatory and is an attempt to form the moral consciences of students according to the ideology of the government currently in power,” Cuevas said, noting that such action violates the Spanish Constitution, which recognizes the rights of parents to educate their children according to their own moral and religious convictions.

According to Professionals for Ethics, “The campaign in support of objecting to Education for Citizenship has only just begun, and in the coming months the number of objections is expected to multiply.  In addition, parents who object are waiting for the Madrid Community to publish norms on what type of instruction children who are exempted from the class for reasons of conscience will be receiving.”