Reflections, Reflections

In Germany:

Ethics lessons, which Berlin is poised to make compulsory, were introduced in neighboring Brandenburg as early as 1996. And according to the head of the region's institute for education, Jan Hofmann, the subject has been a success.

Conservative politicians in Germany are up in arms over the decision made by the ruling SPD-Green government to make lessons in ethics and religion compulsory in Berlin, because the course is not solely focused on Catholicism or Protestantism.

"There’s only a very small group of school students whose parents categorically object to these lessons," he said. "And then there are those who have opted for lessons in religion offered by either the Catholic or Protestant church. These children do not have to attend ethics classes. I think that despite initial criticism our system has worked quite well and might serve as a model for other federal states."

It is possible that Berlin may have to soften the compulsory status of its planned general ethics lessons, because Germany’s conservative parties are intending to bring the issue before the federal constitutional court in Karlsruhe.

That would be a pity, I thought the flexible options structure is a great idea, certainly to be emulated in other countries. Better to have general ethics and religion, and options for specific religions, than to have nothing at all.

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