Virtues and limits of a reform

The Spanish association “Professionals for ethics” engaged in activities for the freedom of education for the past seven years, a few days ago released the “Freedom of education and teaching of values” Report which examines certain aspects of the organic Law for the improvement of quality teaching (Lomce), recently adopted in Madrid. The short publication delves into three aspects: the freedom of choosing school, education and pedagogical models. “Professionals for ethics” is an association that was set up in Spain in 1992, after the WYD celebrated in Czestochowa (Poland) in August 1991, for a presence in public life as citizens and professionals, starting with the Christian proposal on the human person and the common good. Lights and shadows of the law. As relates to the freedom of education, the inclusion of gender-differentiated education and the introduction of a certain degree of flexibility in the school curricula and pedagogical methods for schools appear to have delivered positive results. Nonetheless, educational agreements must comply with regulations and criteria established by the autonomous communities, thereby failing to guarantee parents the right to choose the school they prefer for their children. For this reason, claim the “Professionals for ethics”, Lomce has wasted the opportunity “to ensure true freedom of education, which would have put an end to the conflict between the public and private spheres by adopting models which give parents a central role” in their children’s education. The way in which the law addresses the right and duty to learn and study in Castillian  “is weak and ambiguous, and therefore far from being assured it is at the mercy of governments and of the legislations regarding the autonomous administrations.” In communities with a second official language the right to study and learn in Castillian is systematically overstepped, the association points out. It is a situation which Lomce “should have faced and solved in a more organic manner.” No to ideological tools. For education to values the elimination of EPC – (Educacion para la ciudadania, education to citizenship) from the Spanish school system is to be welcomed, in consideration of the fact that neither the government nor the education authorities can impose compulsory values to pupils. Conversely, in order to implement article 27, clause 3,  of the Constitution “parents must be granted the rights to educate their children according to their personal beliefs.” But Lomce has nonetheless failed to solve the situation of thousands of pupils objectors of EPC, suspended for reasons of conscience. As relates to subjects in the area of “Social and civic values” and “Ethical values” – state the authors of the Report – they should be limited to the explanation and description of concepts in the realm of sociology, law, political science and philosophy, adapted to the various age groups and to contemporary society, without expecting to impose “irrefutable” values, ideas, beliefs or ideologies subject to discussion and opinions. Although the content of both subjects has not yet been made public, “it is to be expected that autonomous communities will use it as an ideological tool.” Parents and society as a whole are called to monitor the contents, evaluation criteria and learning standards of the new school subjects. A partial reform. Finally, the Report states, “it should be remembered that the freedom of learning is unique and it encompasses various dimensions: creation and choice of educational centres and pedagogical models; right and duty to study and learn in Spanish; freedom to educate children following their moral and religious beliefs.” It is to be hoped that “freedom is not fragmented according to corporative, ideological or political interests. When it happens, the fundamental rights of all citizens are affected.” Moreover, “it’s disappointing that the LOMCE is only but a partial reform of the organic education Law (LOE)” adopted on the initiative of ex premier Zapatero, thereby “consolidating the foundations of the socialist laws on education that are still in force, in whose pedagogical principles is to be found the main cause of the failure of Spain’s education system.” Notably, the Professionals for Ethics criticized “the People’s Party’s failure to adequately handle the process leading to education reforms, along with the irresponsibility of a large part of the political and social opposition, which failed to make proposals for the improvement of education in Spain.”