"Court Orders Italy School to Remove Cross"

[DrTeeth]

From the Star Tribune

ROME (AP) - An Italian court has ordered a crucifix removed from a classroom - setting off a debate in a secular but culturally Catholic nation that is home to the Vatican and where a law still requires public schools to display a cross.

Apparently the court's order is against Italian law since a law dating back to 1923 requires schools to display crucifix, even though this seems to be a violation of the Italian Constitution.

The Italian Constitution says the state and the Catholic Church are each "independent and sovereign," and that "all religious faiths are equally free before the law." However, a 1923 law also says that schools must display the crucifix.

It will be very interesting to see where this will be going since there's a big chance we might be seeing more of these lawsuits in the future due to the European constitution which is at hand.

 

[verte76]

I saw an article about this in the paper. The action was a result of a lawsuit by a Moslem activist who objected to the cross being in the school attended by his kids. However, another Italian Moslem activist was upset about the cross removal, and claimed that next they'd ban the Star of David and the Islamic crescent symbol.

 

[Keocmb]

I say if it's a public school, display all religious paraphernalia or none at all. Unless a school is a designated private Christian, Jewish, Islam, etc. oriented school, religion shouldn't be a factor.

But color me tickled pink and call me crazy...

 

[verte76]

I don't want to judge because Italy's culture and traditions are very different from mine (I am from the U.S.). I should know, I've been there and part of my family is Italian. Let them decide if they are going to have crosses in their schools.

 

[melon]

The 1923 law would have come from the time of Benito Mussolini. I don't think he was interested in religious tolerance.

Melon

 

[verte76]

The 1923 law would have come from the time of Benito Mussolini. I don't think he was interested in religious tolerance.

Melon

No. Admittedly I know very little 20th century Italian history.