In what follows, I would like to focus on the fundamental human right to education – a right that is not only about acquiring knowledge or skills but also about shaping minds according to values that uphold human dignity, objective truth, and the pursuit of the common good[1]. Education is a powerful tool for cultivating free and responsible citizens. However, it must remain rooted in respect for freedom, cultural identity, and the family’s vital role in society.
It goes without saying that the family is the cornerstone of society, and parents are the first and most important educators of their children[2]. The home is the place where children learn their first lessons about responsibility. While the right to education is often enshrined in national constitutions, the state must never override the fundamental rights of parents. Parents have the natural right to raise their children in accordance with their moral and religious convictions[3]. The state’s role in education should be one of support, not substitution. It must assist families in their mission to educate children, not usurp their authority. Schools should focus on imparting timeless knowledge and values, rather than pursuing fleeting ideological trends. Education should focus on cultivating wisdom and virtue, not conforming to fleeting cultural fashions. Moreover, schools must not become arenas where ideology replaces genuine education, especially ideologies that conflict with the values of parents or undermine the foundational principles of European civilization, such as respect for truth, and freedom[4]. Education should build character, not impose controversial worldviews that divide rather than unite. By respecting the role of parents and ensuring schools focus on learning instead of indoctrination, we uphold both freedom and the dignity of the human person.
Education cannot be neutral. It always reflects certain values and priorities. True freedom of education must include the right to teach and transmit religious and moral values, as these are fundamental to human identity. Denying this right effectively limits both religious freedom and the cultural heritage of our communities. For centuries, religious and moral education has shaped citizens capable of contributing to the common good. These principles teach respect for human dignity, responsibility, and the importance of solidarity. When schools exclude such education, they risk depriving young people of the tools needed to discern right from wrong and to live fulfilling, virtuous lives. We must recognize that education without moral grounding risks becoming purely utilitarian, focused on technical skills but failing to address the deeper purpose of human life. Faith and values provide the foundation upon which a free and meaningful existence is built.
Civic education, as well as the development of character and virtue, are indispensable aspects of a school’s mission[5]. Despite prevailing left-wing ideologies that seek to minimize the school’s role in moral education, it must not abdicate its responsibility to cultivate responsible, virtuous, and well-rounded citizens. A free society thrives on diversity, and education is no exception. Pluralistic educational systems, where public, private, and faith-based schools coexist, allow families to choose paths that align with their beliefs. This diversity fosters innovation and strengthens communities by respecting cultural and religious identities. Uniform, state-driven education risks imposing a single worldview, often influenced by transient political or ideological trends. Such conformity undermines the richness of thought and perspective that diversity offers. By contrast, when families are empowered to choose, they contribute to a vibrant, dynamic society where multiple perspectives are respected and celebrated. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard this diversity, ensuring that no family is forced to compromise its values in pursuit of education for its children.
At its core, education must be rooted in universal principles such as the dignity of human life, the equality of all people, and the pursuit of the common good[6]. In recent years, however, we have seen a worrying trend toward promoting relativism and subjectivism in schools – dangerous ideas that deny the existence of objective truths and values. Such approaches confuse rather than enlighten, often leaving young people without the moral compass needed to navigate the complexities of modern life. We must stand firm in ensuring that education promotes values that are enduring and universal. Only then can we nurture citizens who respect human dignity, act with integrity, and are prepared to serve others with courage and humility. Many contemporary leftist ideologies tend to undermine individual identity rather than strengthen it. For younger generations, detachment from community and the resulting sense of isolation have become increasingly common experiences. These ideologies sever individuals from their communities, leaving them disconnected and adrift.
In today’s interconnected world, the challenges to educational freedom are no longer confined to national borders. International bodies and organizations increasingly push for uniform standards and policies, often disregarding the cultural and moral traditions of individual nations. While global cooperation can bring many benefits, it must never come at the cost of eroding parental rights or the unique educational systems of different communities. Nations must work together to defend the principle of subsidiarity – keeping decisions about education close to families and local communities, where they belong. Our obligation is to affirm that freedom of education is a universal right, transcending borders and political systems. Together, we can stand as guardians of this right, ensuring that future generations inherit a world where education respects freedom, dignity, and diversity.
These general considerations on the right to education are becoming particularly important nowadays, when in Poland attempts are being made to limit, and probably ultimately aim to eliminate, religious teaching in schools, and at the same time, a subject is being introduced into the curriculum which, under the guise of education about health is intended to sexualize children by providing them with knowledge about human sexuality in a way steeped in the ideology of permissiveness and detaching sexual education from the natural family context.
The core curriculum of the new subject states that: „the student explains the concept of sexuality; discusses the role of lifelong sexual education and its impact on safety and the ability to create satisfying relationships”. Experts point out that this is a message that diminishes the role of the family. This is already visible in the name of the subject. So far, „education for family life” has been taught, and now it is supposed to be „health education”. At the same time, the core curriculum of the new subject was, probably for ideological reasons, limited to include issues such as the consequences of different sexual lifestyles. The message sent to young people is the belief that sexuality is primarily for pleasure, not love, marriage or family.
In the „education for family life” curriculum, the message about marriage, a stable family and mutual love and respect was important. In health education, the word „marriage”, if it appears, is only in the context of legal issues and in passing. The concept of family is completely relativized, as it can be understood as, for example, a union of two gays or lesbians living together and raising children.
Experts also point to a significant change in the perception of fertility acceptance, which leads to the recognition of the highest value, which is the life of a conceived child. The unborn child's right to life was an essential element of the education for family life so far. However, the health education program emphasizes contraceptive methods: „the student discusses contraceptive methods, the mechanism of their action and the criteria for selecting the appropriate method”. Not only are young people not informed about the side effects of using contraception, but also - as results from the context of the current government's actions - the pattern that will be promoted is abortion.
In the light of what has been written above about the right to education, understood as a right implemented in an appropriate axiological context, with respect for the parents' right to shape their child, the changes introduced in the area of sexual education by the current government in Poland are grossly inconsistent with this how the right to education should be understood.
Education is the foundation of a free and thriving society. It is through education that we pass on not only knowledge but also the values and principles that sustain our civilization. Parents, schools, and governments must work together to ensure that education remains a tool for truth and virtue, not a weapon for imposing ideologies. Let us remember: the freedom to educate is the freedom to secure a bright future – for families, for nations, and for humanity. In safeguarding this freedom, we affirm the dignity of every child and pave the way for a more prosperous and just future for all.
[1] W. Borysiak, M. Królikowski, K. Szczucki, Komentarz do art. 70 Konstytucji RP, w: L. Bosek, M. Safjan (red.), Konstytucja RP. Tom I. Komentarz do art. 1–86, Warszawa 2016.
[2] Pope St John Paul II, Letter to Families, 1994.
[3] R. J. Araujo, Natural Law and the Rights of the Family, 1 Int’l. J. Jurisprudence Fam. 197 (2010), p. 197.
[4] See different approaches in: M. Gomendio, J. I. Wert, Dire Straits-Education Reforms: Ideology, Vested Interests and Evidence, 2023.
[5] See: Schools, Civic Virtues and the Good Citizen. Research Report, University of Birmingham 2022, https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/SchoolsCivicVirtueandtheGoodCitizen_ResearchReport_Accessible.pdf [access: 11.01.2024].
[6] P. Kleindienst, The Role of Education on Human Dignity: Fostering Peace and Diminishing Violence, Religions 15(1):66.
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