Chamber: Slob must ban anti-gay statement | Inland

On Monday, the parties faced Minister Arie Slob (Education) in the debate on citizenship education. The CU minister wants to make that subject less informal for schools, but not forbidding them to endorse the views of the school. This includes the Van Lodenstein College, about which Trouw reported. Parents must sign an ‘identity statement’ stating that homosexuality ‘is contrary to God’s word and (is) rejected as such’.

“It’s about standards,” said D66 MP Paul van Meenen. “And the norm is that gays have the same rights as everyone else. We are here discussing a law and at the same time allowing it to be violated. ” According to Slob, there is nothing to worry about as long as the school ensures a safe school climate for all students, including those who are homosexual. But, said Van Meenen: “How can there be a safe environment such an explanation is requested?”

The core of the problem

With that, the debate about citizenship education got to the heart of the problem, because strict requirements quickly affect the freedom of education. School boards are now obliged to create a school culture that subscribes to the basic values ​​of Dutch society, such as freedom, equality and solidarity. But schools can decide for themselves how they do this. As CU MP Eppo Bruins argued: “When it comes to good and evil, it is quickly your truth against mine.”

This is also a problem when discussing freedom of speech, as recently emerged from incidents at schools in Den Bosch and Rotterdam, where a teacher had to go into hiding after showing a cartoon. Broadly speaking, it was said that there should be room in schools to hold difficult discussions. Teachers must receive support on how to deal with this.

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