The Polish Foundation CBOS has published a new report summarising current public opinion on the vexed issue of religion in schools.
At present (Catholic) religious classes (and not, for example, Religious Education as in the UK) are taught in Polish schools as an optional subject. Pupils may also choose ethics, both ethics and religion or neither - although not every option is in practice available.
The new survey has found that 51% of adult Poles support the presence of religious classes in schools. Although this figure represents more than half the population, it is the lowest figure since this particular survey began in 1991. (It should be emphasized that the Catholic Church enjoyed a perhaps uniquely strong position in the 80s and 90s because of its pro-democracy role and the presence of a popular Polish Pope, John Paul II.)
Perhaps more worrying for the Church are the results of the further questions concerning support for the current government's changes to the rules governing religion in schools: religion no longer counts towards the "average grade" assessment, there is one class a week instead of two, the joining of small religious classes when attendance is low (these three changes have already been implemented), and the obligatory placement of religious classes at the start or the end of the day. All these changes enjoy a wide measure of public support.
The changes in an indirect way encourage students to drop out of religious classes and have incurred the criticism of Cardinal Nycz who last week said that "one hour of religion a week should be compulsory":
This proposal, apparently taking Poland in the direction of theocracy, was quickly though gently rebuked by a deputy education minister, "Cardinal Nycz is mixing up classes of religion with religious education":
Sources: PAP, ONET, CBOS
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