https://mobile.twitter.com/williamcacusso/status/1544267603681722370
William Cacusso
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Jul 5 • 20 tweets • 7 min read
This has got to be one of the wildest stories out of Portugal:
2 years ago, two parents in small town of Famalicão became nationally famous after prohibiting their two boys from taking the class "Citizenship" arguing "conscientious objector".
You might ask why would they do this
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The class in question had two subjects which the parents objected:
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Education for gender equality
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Education for sexuality & health
(You can see where this is going)
The students in question are what you call class A students, both with highest possible grading average (5)
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The school, via the class council (the collegial pedagogical body that transits students at end of each year) passed them favourably for next year, citing they were both exemplary students. The class council is sovereign and cannot be hierarchically surpassed by the school board.
The school board decided to take the matters to the state and the minister of education, João Costa, issued an order to retroactively annul the class council decision. This meant both students were to go "back" two years and do every single class - again.
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It's important to add that the ministry of education had for years promoted a policy to reduce students from failing across the education system even when they had negative grades. (We know who this was made for). This was a very aggressive stand, taking into consideration…
The students were exemplary and the parents used a right protected by law and the constitution when they argued for "conscientious objector". Still the minister was unphased - the students were to go back.
After many open letters to several ministries and the president of the portuguese republic (to no avail) the parents decided to take the matter to court. This is when the news started to break out and it became a national story. The court gave them a favorably decision.
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The students were to pass the year and the minister had 10 days to contest. The secretary of state was called into parliament to answer for this "authoritarian order". If you think this is sounding too good, you are right. The minister will get his revenge.
The students passed the year and went back to normal class. By the end of the year, the school once again failed them (even though there was a court order against it). Well the same judge that issued the favorable order (Telma Silva) decided to go back and cancel the order.
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The Public Ministry decided simultaneously to sue the parents and sent social security employees to "evaluate" the "household situation" of the minors. Nasty stuff. By this time the case was international and portuguese right leaning politicians were organising protests.
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The case was now very mediatic and someone inside the ministry of education issued another order to keep the students in the same grade and allow them to pass to next year. The parents thanked the courage of this individual and believe the matter to be resolved.
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