Uregulowania prawne i praktyka w zakresie nauczania religii w szkołach publicznych w Polsce
Law and practice in religious education in Polish state schools in Poland

Summary/Abstract: The right to religious education is one of the most significant previliges resulting from the freedom of religion. Teaching religion in schools was reintroduced on 1 September 1990. Religion as a subject is tought in state preschools, primary schools, middle schools, secondary schools, and vocational schools. Introducing religious education as a subject in Poland is legitimized by the Polish Constitution. If Polish citizens want their children to attend religious education classes, the state must provide them with such a possibility. This results from the 1997 Constitution which gives the parents a right to raise their children according to their beliefs. This regulation does not discriminate those who belong to other religions, nor atheists. The equal right to organize religious education classes applies to every religious community whose legal situation is regulated by law. Schools are also obligated to organise ethics classes. Religious education is an elective. It becomes compulsory when parents of students or students themselves (if they are majors) declare a willingness to attend these classes. The responsibility to organize religious education classes lies with the schools’ board. Religious education classes are supervised by both church inspectors and state board of education. Inspections conducted by church inspectors analyse the content and methodology of the classes, as well as their agreement with their curricula. Inspections conducted by state board of education representatives analyse only the methodology and agreement with curricula of the classes.

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