8/6/2019 EnglishRedebeitragValentinOslo

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Thecommitmenttosecularismandagainstthepresenceofacrucifixinapublic

schoolleadstoadismissalofatheacherinthecantonofValais/Wallis

(Switzerland) ValentinAbgottspon:valentin@abgott.ch+41786710803

InSwitzerlandthereexistsadecisionoftheFederalCourtin1990thatacrucifixina

publicschoolviolatestherequirementofreligiousneutralityandisthustoberemovedatthelatestifrequested.Switzerlandisheavilyfederallyorganizedandtherearebig

differencesinhowtherelationshipbetweenchurchandstateisembodiedinthe

individualcantons(i.e.districtsofSwitzerland).

Imyselfhaveremovedthecrucifixthatwastoweringovertheblackboardinmy

classroomattheendof2009andthusestablishedthereligiousneutralityofthispublic

spacemyself.BeginningofMay2010theValaissectionoffree-thinkersSwitzerlandwas

founded,IbecameitspresidentandIpubliclyspokeoutfortheseparationofchurchand

state,especiallyinpublicschools.Ihaveadvocatedaskeptical,scientificworldview,and

humanisticvalues,andclaimedtransparencyinthesystemofchurchtaxes,etc.(The

systemofchurchfinancinginthecantonofValaisisinfactextremelyscandalous.)

OnAugust11th,2010ameetingwasheldwiththeDepartmentofEducation,whereI

raisedquestionsregardingreligiousinstructionandprayerduringschoolhours,mass,

presenceofthecrucifix,thesituationofnon-catholicornon-believingteachersand

pupils,etc.Thecantonallawconcerningpubliceducationprescribesthatstateschool

aretopreparetheirpupilsfor"...theirtaskasahumanbeingandasaChristian...",so

strictlyspeakingthechildrenofnon-believingparentsarealsotobepreparedfortheir

taskasChristian.ThispassageandthepracticesinmanypublicschoolsinValaisclearly

violatetheSwissFederalConstitutionandtheuniversalhumanrights,too.Alocal

politicianofaChristianparty,whichwantedtogainsomethingoutofthismaneuverhas

subsequentlymadepublicthatthesequestionswereraised.LaterIwasaskedtoputup

thecrucifixinmyclassroomagain.Infact,Irefusedtocarryoutthisaction.Twicethecrucifixwasputupovernightinmyclassroomagainagainstmyexpresswishes.Itwice

removeditbeforeclassstartedandplaceditinacloset.OnOctober8th,2010theschool

boardhandedmemyimmediatedismissal.Theauthoritiesoperatewithpretextssuch

as"destroyedtrust"andthelike,eventhoughIhaveexcellentreferencesandIalways

performedmyworkasateacherinanexemplaryway.

TheStateCouncil(theexecutivebranchofthecanton)hasnotyetnearlyawholeyear

later!decidedwhetherthedismissalwasabusive.Alegalopiniononthecasedoes,

however,demonstrateclearlythatthedismissalwasabusiveandthatIhavefulfilledthe

fiduciarydutytomyemployerandthatthesituationattheschoolinStaldenhastobe

changed.Itisscandalousthattheauthoritieshavetriedandarestilltryingtomakean

exampleofit;itistobecondemned,thatupstandingcitizens,whichraisecriticalissues

andadvocatefortheirrightsarebeingthreatenedbytheirsocialandpecuniarydeath.I

regardthiscaseasoneofthemostseriousdisregardsofsecularprinciplesintherecent

historyofSwitzerland.

VoteforthePrixCourage,averyprestigiousSwissprizeforoutstandingactions:

http://www.beobachter.ch/?id=727(chooseValentinAbgottspon,"Ichwillander

Verlosungteilnehmen.*"choose"Nein",thatmeansyoudon'twanttowinaweek-endin

aSwisshotel,thatwayyouwon'thavetowritedownyourname,then"Senden")

Callfordonations(lawsuit):http://www.frei-

denken.ch/de/2011/06/prozessunterstutzung-fur-valentin-abgottspon/(german)