A first-grade primary school student should not attend religion classes together with an eighth-grade student. This is the result of the judgment of the Provincial Administrative Court, which stated that the decision of the Białystok authorities regarding the organization of Greek Catholic religious education in schools was ineffective. According to the priest who conducts the classes, a compromise would be to divide the students into more age groups, otherwise only single people will still attend the classes.
– My younger daughter is in the fourth grade of primary school. Whenever possible, she attended religion classes in the third and second grades. The priest would come to her and give lessons. Now there is no such possibility – says the mother of a student of Primary School No. 3. Adam Mickiewicz in Białystok.
Her daughter was the only student at school who attended Greek Catholic classes.
Two inter-school groups were createdpriest Andrzej Zalewski
They created two inter-school groups. Only four people attend classes
However, from the 2023/24 school year, classes will not be held at this facility. The city authorities refer to two inter-school groups. The first one is dedicated to primary school and pre-school students, and the second one – to secondary school students. Classes for the former are held at the mentioned Primary School No. 9, and for the latter at the 3rd Secondary School. Only four students take part in them: three in Primary School No. 9 and one in Secondary School No. 3.
– I would love to send my daughter to classes, but I cannot take her to Primary School No. 9. Our school is located at ul. Gdańska, and Primary School No. 9 at ul. Legionowa. It is far. And while religion classes are being conducted there, I take my older daughter – from the second year of high school – to extra-curricular activities – notes the mother of a student from Primary School No. 3.
Classes are conducted from 2021
Father Andrzej Zalewski, who teaches Greek Catholic religion, comments that parents from other schools are in a similar situation.
– And from my knowledge, there were eight schools with children wanting to learn the Greek Catholic religion last year. Currently, there are 10 of them, he says.
He is the parish priest of the Białystok parish of St. Trinity Greek Catholic Church of the Eparchy of Olsztyn-Gdańsk.
– I came to Białystok in 2021 and since then our parishioners have been able to send their children to religion classes. We have about 100 believers in the city, and about 400 in the voivodeship. At least that’s how many people attend Christmas services in the lower temple of the Catholic church. The Holy Spirit who gives us room. Of course, the number of followers increased after the invasion Russia to Ukraine – says the priest.
Priest: they go to classes only because they study in these institutions
He adds that the four people who attend inter-school classes at Primary School No. 9 and Secondary School No. 3 study at these institutions every day.
– So their parents don’t have to take them anywhere. If each school had the opportunity to teach religion, I think that each of the 13 students whose parents submitted applications would attend the classes. Or maybe even more, because I know that 20 people want to learn. Seven parents did not submit applications, knowing that there would be no classes in their schools, the priest notes.
He adds that more students would take part in classes even if those conducted at Primary School No. 9 were adapted to lesson plans and the stage of development of individual students. – Unfortunately, this is not the case – says Fr. Zalewski.
The parish went to court
The case is so tense that the parish appealed against the city’s decision to organize and determine the number of Greek Catholic religion classes to the administrative court in Białystok. He stated that the decision was ineffective.
The justification for the judgment states that although an institution may organize (in consultation with a church or religious association) classes in an inter-school group if fewer than seven people are interested in a given institution, the provisions ensure “the implementation of the right of every citizen of the Republic of Poland to education. and the rights of children and young people to education and care appropriate to their age and development, as well as adapting the content, methods and organization of teaching to the psychophysical capabilities of students.
Court: danger of creating groups that are too diverse in age
However, the way in which the city organized inter-school groups “causes the danger of creating groups that are too diverse in age and, therefore, in development.” Because, as the court noted, “e.g. a 4th grade student has a different level of maturity than a 6th grade student.
SEE ALSO: It is one of the most valuable monuments of Slavic writing. The Supraśl Codex has its own monument
On the other hand, however – as stated by the Provincial Administrative Court – organizing classes only for year groups – with a small number of students – “seems to contradict the requirements of rationality and economics” and does not result directly from the regulations.
They propose a compromise
Therefore, the court proposes a compromise solution – dividing students into groups of similar age groups – e.g. classes I-III, IV-VI, VII-VIII. Which, as we read in the justification for the judgment, also coincides with the proposal submitted by the parish.
– Of course, it would be best if classes were held in each school and divided into individual years, so we are willing to compromise. We are now waiting for the city to take a step and we are open to talks, says Fr. Zalewski.
City: classes for one student “on a goodwill basis”
The court also dealt with the issue of liquidation of the above-mentioned classes at Primary School No. 3, which only one student attended. When asked about this, the city’s representative stated that it happened “on the basis of good will.”
And as we read in the justification for the judgment – “after considering the best interests and safety of the child, at the request of the parent and due to the age of the child.” However, classes are not currently being conducted because the child has completed the “first educational stage”.
They analyze the justification for the judgment
Eliza Bilewicz-Roszkowska from the social communication department in the Białystok city hall informs that officials are currently analyzing the justification for the verdict.
– Only after the analysis will we decide what further legal steps to take – he emphasizes.
Main photo source: priest Andrzej Zalewski