The Council for Islamic Education spoke out against the religious division of schoolchildren in the study of “Spiritual and moral culture” • Sova • RIMA

The Council for Islamic Education spoke out against the religious division of schoolchildren in the study of “Spiritual and moral culture”

The Islamic Education Council issued a statement regarding the possible inclusion of the “Spiritual and Moral Culture” (DNC) course in the school curriculum. The Council does not share the concept proposed by the Russian Orthodox Church, according to which, as part of this course, schoolchildren should become familiar with the basics of one religious culture of their choice.

The authors of the statement remind that “The Council of Muftis of Russia considers it possible to teach in school the subject “History of Traditional Religions of Russia”, which is common to all schoolchildren, regardless of their religious and national affiliation.”

The statement reads, in part:

"1. Discussion of the need to introduce the DNA curriculum into the new generation of state standards for general secondary education should be carried out with the participation of representatives of traditional religions of Russia, and not in a closed format of contacts between individual faiths and state educational authorities.

Raising the question of the religious division of schoolchildren when studying DNA is a violation of the principles of the unity of the federal cultural and educational space, universal accessibility and the secular nature of education, determined within the framework of state policy.
The attempt to impose the subject “Orthodox Culture” on schools under the pretext of including the curriculum “Spiritual and Moral Culture” is a “time bomb” that is being planted under the unified system of public education in the country.”

Let us remember that the Muslim community has already spoken out on this matter. The FEOR congress also opposed the concept of teaching DNA proposed by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Sources

Statement of the Council for Islamic Education on the teaching of spiritual and moral culture in school // Website of the Council of Muftis of Russia. 2008. February 22.