Religious school activities violate freedom: Seoul Education Office

[waves_of_light]

Conclusion follows probe launched after complaint of mandatory religious activities violating student rightsThe Seoul education office concluded Sunday that mandatory religious activities at general high schools, such as class worship services and choir competitions, could infringe on students' religious freedom

Comments

[milktov]

This is a non-private, Christian school? Are there also Buddhist general high schools?

I also am curious if religious schools are actually successful in converting people to a particular religion these days. All the non-religious folks I know who went to religious schools were there for the education quality, and while religious school might have made some of them more curious about spirituality in general, I don't think any of them joined that particular religion.

[waves_of_light]

i went to catholic schools all my life, and there were plenty of non-catholics there for the education (but only in the high school level. elementary school was attached to a church, so everyone was catholic). looking back at it, high school never felt like it was trying to convert anyone. any time the school did anything really religious (like mass), it was mandatory to attend, but not mandatory to participate. religion class was also required, but i remember it more like bible theory. no one was preaching to anyone. i don't know if it was my school in particular, or just a difference beteeen catholic and christian schools. i think it was pretty chill. there were multiple teenage pregnancies in my 4 years there, and the school was pretty supportive.

[milktov]

Thank you for the info- that's pretty interesting! I was under the impression that it was required to participate in religious ceremonies at religious schools, but "mandatory to attend but not mandatory to participate" actually does make more sense of the anecdotes I've heard from the (non-religious) folks I know who went to christian or catholic schools