The Spanish bishops issued a statement on 3 November to repudiate some “false information” published by a Spanish daily, in which it is stated that the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (SBC) had reached an agreement with the Spanish government on the LOE, the new organic law on education now being debated, which does not satisfy the requirements of the bishops since it does not recognize parents’ rights to the teaching of religion for their children. The SBC says the statement has not reached any agreement, nor preliminary agreement, with the government on the proposed organic law on education. The bishops also point out that their opinion on the matter was already expressed a month ago by the general secretary of the SBC, Father Juan Antonio Martínez Camino “during the press conference held at the end of the meeting of the permanent Council of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference and repeated yesterday at Avila”. The statement adds that “the SBC supports the demonstration that various associations have called in Madrid on 12 November”: “It is a legitimate means [of protest] by which parents and teachers can make a public stance in defence of their own rights”. The majority of the institutions devoted to religious education in the country have already lent their support to the demonstration on 12 November. For further information consult: www.loe-no.org
