The Episcopate intervenes in the matter of religious education classes. It wants the decision of the Ministry of National Education to be reviewed by the Constitutional Tribunal

In September, changes to the organization of religious education classes come into effect. This is a decision by the Ministry of National Education, which the Episcopate did not like. – The Church will certainly defend religious education classes in schools – declares Fr. Leszek Gęsiak, spokesman for the Polish Episcopal Conference. – There is a general misunderstanding of the role of the Episcopate by the Episcopate – comments Barbara Nowacka, Minister of National Education from the Civic Coalition. The Polish Episcopate has filed a petition to the First President of the Supreme Court, Małgorzata Manowska, asking her to appeal the issue of religious education to the Constitutional Tribunal. – The Polish Episcopate is contacting the compromised President Manowska and asking her to contact the compromised Constitutional Tribunal, Julia Przyłębskie. This is a multi-layered and very dangerous structure – assesses Dr. Bogna Baczyńska, constitutionalist from the University of Szczecin.

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Adam Szostkiewicz, a journalist for the weekly “Polityka”, points out that in matters of religion classes “it is not about any discrimination” or “any fight against religion”. – It is simply about rationalizing the education system, he emphasizes.

Since the desks in religion classes are increasingly empty, from September, if there are fewer than seven people in the class, religion will be taught, but in combined groups. – Combining these groups will make the schedule more suitable for a larger number of children – explains Maria Kowalewska from the Free School Initiative.

Less work will be done by catechists, hence their protests. – It puts teachers of religion in an uncertain, much worse situation – emphasizes Piotr Janowicz, chairman of the Association of Secular Catechists. Church hierarchs are also complaining about their situation, outraged by the fact that no one has agreed with them on a new organization of religion classes. – It will be teaching carried out differently than it was planned in the programs developed by the authorized church authorities – indicates Fr. Leszek Gęsiak.

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This is what the Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka has to say about her powers: – The Ministry is not in the business of saying what time masses should be held, so I expect the Episcopate to stop dealing with how religious education classes in schools should be organized. However, the Episcopate goes further and thunders about the public interest, breaking the law and irreversible damage. She also accuses the MEN's actions “puts the whole idea of ​​democracy into question”. – For 8 years, when the Polish constitution, Polish democracy and the Polish state were being destroyed, the Church benefited from this – points out Dr. Bogna Baczyńska.

And this time, the Law and Justice party offered help to the Church. – Marxists have come to power and are introducing a communist agenda in Polish schools – comments former Minister of Education Przemysław Czarnek and writes a motion to the Constitutional Tribunal, which is to be submitted next week by a group of PiS MPs.