Religious Education in Public Schools of Alsace-Moselle in France

Year 2019, , 323 - 355, 30.12.2019

Turgay Gündüz , Merve Kılınç

https://doi.org/10.18498/amailad.593403

Abstract

In France,
where religion and state are separated from each other with a unique
understanding of secularism, the education system is structured in line with
this understanding, and religion and beliefs are not included as a core subject
in the formal education system. The Alsace-Moselle region of France, however,
is an exception. This region, where religious education is compulsory in public
schools, differs from other regions of France in terms of religious education
approaches and practices. This study aims to study religious education in
public schools in Alsace-Moselle, and seeks answers to the following questions:
what is the historical background of the privilege of this region in favor of
religious education? What is the legal basis of religious education in public
schools in this region? Which models or approaches do religious education take?
What is the main structure of the religious education program regarding its
purpose and content? What is the status of various religious groups, especially
Muslims, regarding opportunities for religious education in public schools? The
data obtained in this study, which was carried out through survey and
literature review in qualitative research design, was analyzed through
historical and descriptive analysis. The data on the content of religious
education programs in public schools were obtained by examining documents
prepared by official bodies or institutions authorized to represent the state.
The article first examines the historical background that laid the groundwork
for the unique status of Alsace-Moselle in terms of religious education in
public schools. Subsequently, it reveals the legal basis for religious
education. The paper explores which approaches to and aims of religious
education adopted in schools and for what purposes and in which context
religious education is structured in programs. Through historical analysis, the
authors also explore the reasons for the unique situation of religious
education in public schools in the region. Finally, the article investigates
the status of various religious groups regarding the possibility of benefiting
from religious education services in schools.

The results of
the research indicate that the legal basis of religious education in public
schools in Alsace-Moselle went back to the agreement of July 15, 1801, called
Concordat. The Falloux law of March 15, 1850, which includes regulations on
religious education, also provides exceptional opportunities for recognized
religions/sects. Although a law adopted in 1905 separated the church and state
affairs in France, the Alsace-Moselle region was not exposed to the possible
adverse effects of the said regulation on religious education, because it was
under German rule the then. Therefore, in this period, the same privilege
continued in favor of religious education. The effects of this historical past
of the region in favor of religious education continue in the present day.

Today,
religious education in the primary (élémentaire), secondary (collège), and high schools (lycée) in Alsace-Moselle are compulsory. It is carried out in
a confessional approach, which aims to educate the members of the religion that
is taught and to strengthen the beliefs of children towards the religion they
belong to. This approach allows each student to learn his/her religion and
belief from a teacher who is a holder of that belief. In this approach,
students are taught other religions as well as their own religions, but other
religions or denominations are presented from the perspective of their own
religions/sects. Religious education in public schools is organized and funded,
in general, by the state. The state pays salaries of religious education
teachers of the recognized cults. However, the content of religious education
is determined by the relevant religious parties and put into practice after the
approval of the state officials. Representatives of each religion/sect are
responsible for conducting their own religious instruction. The state has the
right to oversee the prepared religious education program. With the education
law enacted on March 14, 2008, weekly teaching time in primary schools was
determined as 24 hours, one hour of which was devoted to compulsory religious
education. It has been decided that, in the last three years of elementary
school, one-hour time can be added to the religious education course if certain
conditions are met.

Today,
although a confessional approach has been adopted in the primary, secondary,
and high schools of Alsace-Moselle, for reasons such as secularization,
religious pluralism, decline in religious instruction, and the risk of children
becoming involved in radical religious movements, local laws are gradually
being adapted to new conditions, and in this context, inter-confessional
(interconfessionnel) religious education courses are now available in some
school programs. However, the processing of religious education in accordance
with the inter-confessional approach is subject to the approval of the
religious authorities.

In the
Alsace-Moselle region, there are only four cults (religions/denominations) that
have the privilege of state-funded religious education in schools: Catholicism,
Calvinism, Lutheranism, and Judaism. Since the opportunities offered by the
state are limited to these cults, students belonging to religious groups other
than these four cult members cannot benefit from the opportunity to receive
religious education at school. Finally, although a relatively positive attitude
was adopted in the Alsace-Moselle region concerning religion-state relations,
likely due to the strict French interpretation of secularism, it is also seen
that, from time to time, new legal regulations have been made which restrict
the religious rights and freedoms of religious groups in the minority, and
consequently, prohibit the wearing of clothes or signs that show the religious
belonging of the students in public schools.

Keywords

Religious education, France, Alsace-Moselle, Religion and secularism, Religious instruction

Fransa’nın Alsace-Moselle Bölgesi Devlet Okullarında Din Eğitimi

Abstract

Kendine
özgü laiklik anlayışıyla din ve devletin kesin hatlarla birbirinden ayrıldığı
Fransa’da, eğitim sistemi de bu anlayış doğrultusunda yapılanmış, din ve
inançlara resmi eğitim sistemi içerisinde yer verilmemiştir. Ancak, Fransa’nın
Alsace-Moselle bölgesi bunun istisnası sayılabilir. Günümüzde Fransa’nın
sınırları içerisinde yer almasına rağmen, kendine özel tarihi geçmişi
dolayısıyla bu bölge, din eğitimi yaklaşım ve uygulamaları bakımından
Fransa’nın diğer bölgelerinden ayrılmaktadır. Literatür incelemesi yoluyla
verilerin toplandığı bu çalışmada; Alsace-Moselle bölgesinin, devlet
okullarında din eğitimi lehine sahip olduğu ayrıcalığın hangi nedenlere
dayandığı, bu bölgede din eğitiminin yasal dayanaklarının neler olduğu, hangi
din eğitimi yaklaşım veya modellerinin benimsendiği, din eğitimi bağlamında hak
ve özgürlükler açısından farklı din veya inanç mensuplarının, hususen
Müslümanların, durumlarının ne olduğu sorularına yanıtlar aranmıştır. Bu araştırma
neticesinde, Alsace-Moselle bölgesindeki devlet okullarında din eğitiminin,
muafiyet hakkını da içerecek tarzda, zorunlu ve mezhebe/dine dayalı olduğu,
genel organizasyonu ve finansmanının devlet tarafından yapıldığı, din eğitimi
alanında tanınan ayrıcalıkların devlet tarafından kabul edilen (culte
statutaire) dört kült ile sınırlı olduğu, bölgenin kendine has tarihi geçmişi
ve günümüzde cari olan yasal hak ve sınırlılıklar dolayısıyla İslam ve diğer
din ve inançları kapsamadığı tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

Din eğitimi, Fransa, Alsace-Moselle, Din ve laiklik, Din öğretimi

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