Protecting schools from any pressure and guaranteeing a calm learning environment: that is the aim of the decree adopted this Wednesday by the Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
By harmonising neutrality rules across all schools concerned and strengthening the neutrality of appearance for staff members, the government reaffirms that schools are not a place for propaganda or proselytism, but a space where every pupil must be able to learn freely, free from political, religious or ideological influence.
In addition, a comprehensive register of rules on wearing religious or ideological symbols for staff and pupils across all education networks will be drawn up.
The decree will come into force from the start of the next school year.
Ban on wearing religious or ideological symbols for staff members
The text establishes neutrality of appearance for staff members in official schools and non-denominational subsidised free schools, through a ban on wearing visible religious or ideological symbols, regardless of belief or origin. This measure applies to all school roles and activities linked to the institution:
- Teachers, management, educators, administrative and paramedical staff, workers, cooks, trainees and all other professional categories active in these schools, such as the General Inspection Service and the General Steering Service. The ban also extends to affiliated PMS centres, boarding schools and outdoor activity centres.
- The symbols in question are defined as any garment or accessory expressing a political, religious, philosophical, ideological or social belief or identity.
No self-censorship in schools
The school's mission is to pass on knowledge and develop critical thinking within a respectful framework. However, certain content taught in subjects such as philosophy, history, languages, science or the arts can sometimes be challenged, which may lead a teacher to self-censor. For example, certain areas of knowledge are sometimes questioned: the theory of evolution, the presentation of artworks depicting nudity, the use of diagrams or the carrying out of scientific experiments, the reading of classic literary works or fantasy novels, or the discussion of historical and societal facts such as the Holocaust, equality between women and men or the rights of LGBTQIA+ minorities, or even participation in swimming lessons.
By removing the provision (from the decree of 31 March 1994) stating that teaching staff should address certain issues “in terms that cannot offend the opinions and feelings of any pupil” and replacing it with a principle of mutual respect and freedom of expression for pupils, the decree aims to ensure that such lessons can be delivered without teachers fearing self-censorship, while strictly maintaining the requirements of objectivity and neutrality already enshrined in the Education Code.
As a reminder, according to the Respect Barometer, 62% of teachers (out of 10,000 respondents) said they had self-censored over the past five years.
Support and training for educational teams
Educational teams will be supported and trained to manage challenges related to learning content, while respecting pluralism and pupils' freedom of expression:
- Reminders of the legal framework and neutrality principles by school management and reference documents.
- Educational tools and support from specialised structures such as mobile support teams, trained to manage issues of polarisation, extremism and radicalisation.
- Targeted training for teachers and school heads, including awareness-raising on radicalisation.
To ensure regular monitoring of the decree's implementation, a report will be drawn up on compliance with the neutrality principle by the schools concerned. This report will be submitted to the government every two years.
“Neutrality is a form of protection, because schools must remain a place of learning, respect and freedom for everyone. In a context where identity-related tensions sometimes echo into the classroom, it is essential to preserve a neutral and peaceful school environment. We want every pupil to be able to acquire knowledge, develop freely and shape their critical thinking, without political, religious, trade union or other pressure or influence.”, concludes Valérie Glatigny, Minister of Education.