Something surreal took place in Cerea, in the province of Verona, where the principal Silvia De Mitri of the “Fratelli Sommariva” Comprehensive Institute (combined primary and lower secondary school) invited middle school students in their final year to take part in an event that included prayers and blessings on the occasion of the inauguration of public works.
An illegitimate act, given that the ruling of March 27, 2017, by the Council of State establishes that acts of worship are prohibited during school hours and, if organized outside of them, student participation must be voluntary. What shocked the principal and the mayor Marco Franzoni, who was present at the ceremony, was instead the behavior of four students who covered their ears and who now risk facing disciplinary measures. According to the headteacher, they showed disrespect toward the Catholic religion.
“We have written to principal De Mitri,” said Roberto Grendene, secretary of UAAR, “to remind her that the school is secular and that it is unlawful to include acts of worship during lesson time. We hope she will promptly withdraw the accusation of ‘unacceptable behavior’ and the threat of disciplinary action against students who simply tried not to listen to prayers and blessings. On closer inspection, if anyone deserves sanctions, attention should be directed to the top of the institution.”
The clearly unlawful conduct by the principal in Cerea is not an isolated case. Considering also the very frequent violations of the right to alternative activities to Catholic religious instruction, one could speak of serious shortcomings across the entire category or, perhaps more gravely, of a tendency to give in to poor practices and pressures coming also from politics. Returning to Cerea, the mayor Marco Franzoni has in fact denounced offenses against “our Catholic faith” and expressed hope that the measures announced by the principal will serve as an example.
“The mayor”, emphasized Cristina Righetti, coordinator of the UAAR Verona group, “forgets that the state religion was abolished in 1984 and that, in his institutional role, he should represent all citizens, including the growing number of non-believers and followers of religions other than Catholicism. The call for exemplary punishments to be imposed on students who merely expressed dissent in a civil and non-violent way against identity-based impositions that cannot and must not have a place in public schools is indefensible.”
Press release