HIGH COURT RULING
Schools cannot promote one religion, judge affirms
Public schools are not allowed to promote a single religion and school governing bodies must develop a pluralistic attitude on religion in education, the High Court in Johannesburg has ruled, reaffirming state policy. Six schools — Randhart Primary in Alberton, Baanbreker Primary in Boksburg, Garsfontein Primary in Pretoria, Linden High in Johannesburg, Oudtshoorn High and Langenhoven Gymnasium in Oudtshoorn — were singled out by the Organisasie vir Godsdienste-Onderrig en Demokrasie (Ogod) for adhering to a Christian ethos. It argued it was unconstitutional to run a single-religion public school as it infringed on the right of freedom of religion. Ogod founder Hans Pietersen welcomed the ruling, saying it was not the job of schools to instruct children on how to be religious, especially in the case of these schools in which the only religion was Christianity.
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