The Constitutional Tribunal has ruled that grades awarded for religion classes in school can count towards a pupil’s grade point average.

Two years ago the Democratic Left Alliance asked the Tribunal to look into the case, believing that it was discriminatory towards schoolchildren who came from atheist families or who had other beliefs.

Yesterday’s ruling has caused concern among members of the Democratic Left Alliance. Deputy leader of the leftist parliamentary club, Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, says that life is going to get harder for non-Catholics in Polish schools:

 “It shows that Poland at the moment needs to change the constitution, and so it’s Poland for the Poles, Catholics. Everyone else, all of citizens who are of a different belief, who are not religious, or agnostics, will, in a way, feel discriminated,” she told Polskie Radio.

Mariusz Błaszczak from the Law and Justice party is pleased with the Tribunal’s decision.

 “Nowadays people who do not believe can send their children to alternative classes organised by schools to coincide with religion classes. So there already exists freedom of choice,” he said.

The Constitutional Tribunal stated that the decree does not constitute support for any particular view, as parents have the right to decide whether their children attend either classes in religion or ethics. (jk)