Mozgovoy, S.A. On religious education in schools (based on the roundtables at the RIA “Novosti” and IA “Rosbalt”).

Abstract: At the start of the new study year in some regions of Russia the problems of religious classes at schools gained new topicality. Namely, from September 1, 2006 on, the state schools in Belgorodsky and Bryansky oblasts introduced an obligatory subject: “Basic Orthodox Christian Culture” (BOCC). In more than 30 subjects of the Russian Federation such subjects are introduced as optional, however, formally optional subjects often end up as obligatory (e.g. when they’re introduced as 2nd or 3rd class in the middle of the day schedule and the students can’t miss them. Can one then say that the school becomes the testing grounds for religious and ideological influence on children, and textbooks on BOCC contradict the constitutional requirements of secular education?