'Mark more sharply limits to freedom of education'
The government should define more clearly what common values and insights in the field of citizenship should be imparted to students by all schools. Moreover, it must more clearly indicate the limits of the freedom of education and enforce it more sharply as a school that ignores the boot.
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That is what the Education Council advocates in the advice 'Set boundaries, leave space'. According to the Council, combating discrimination and indoctrination is necessary to keep the freedom of education 'future-proof'. Article 23 of the Constitution itself is not called into question. This educational freedom belongs to the Netherlands, according to the Education Council, which calls itself the 'guardian of Article 23'.
resilience
It is time for a tightening. The report refers to the social outcry surrounding passages about sexuality in teaching materials from Islamic and Christian schools or identity statements of reform schools. In addition, there are concerns about the rise of anti-democratic forces and the resilience of democracy. That is why the Council argues that the basic principles of the democratic constitutional state - such as equality, tolerance and respect for diversity - must be paramount at every school.
'It is necessary to emphasize the 'common ground' in education more,' says chairman Edith Hooge in a press statement. 'What is so important and common in our society that all children in all schools should learn about it? And to be clear about what there is no room for at school, what is not allowed.'
It is necessary to emphasize the 'common ground' in education more: what is so important and common in our society that all children in all schools should become acquainted with it?
Every school, public or private, must teach its students how to function in an open and free society based on their own convictions, values and norms. 'For the Council, the story about the school's own convictions and vision is emphatically something that a school can add to this obligatory communal core. And not the other way around,' according to the advice.
anchor
Just before summer nam the Senate the new citizenship assignment for primary and secondary education, in which legal requirements are already set. According to the council, this assignment needs to be worked out further. What schools should pay attention to must be anchored more concretely in, among other things, the core objectives, attainment targets and qualification requirements. 'Dutch education in democratic citizenship can and must be better, more thoughtfully and more systematically.'
Furthermore, the government must be more active in enforcement when schools cross the line. The Education Council advises looking beyond education legislation and making better use of other regulations, including civil liability and criminal law.
As long as requirements are not discriminatory or result in indoctrination, schools are allowed, according to the council
set rules for behavior within the school based on their identity
At the same time, the Education Council underlines that, thanks to Article 23, schools have the scope to set requirements for pupils that are in line with the philosophical identity or religious foundation of the school. 'As long as requirements are not discriminatory or result in indoctrination, according to the council, schools are allowed to set rules based on their identity on behavior within the school, and require pupils to participate in identity-related activities and parts of the curriculum. Enrollment at the school constitutes acceptance of such obligations.
