AfriForum ready for legal battle to retain religious ethos of schools

AfriForum’s legal team is ready to present the high court on Monday with this organisation’s standpoint in favour of a religious ethos in schools as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the case between the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (Fedsas) and the Organisation for Religious Education and Democracy.

This case followed after the latter organisation decided at the end of 2014 to challenge, in court, the religious ethos of six schools, namely Laerskool Randhart, Laerskool Baanbreker, Laerskool Garsfontein, Hoërskool Linden, Hoërskool Oudtshoorn and Oudtshoorn Gimnasium.

In 2009, anti-Christian fundamentalists had threatened to try and eradicate the religious ethos of schools. At that stage, AfriForum committed itself to assist schools if such cases were to be brought to bear against them. Fedsas represents the six schools in question, while AfriForum lends support with the legal costs.

In 2015 AfriForum initiated a campaign for the retention of religion in schools in support of this case and also to raise awareness for the case. As part of this campaign, Rev. Henk Stavast and Derick Francis completed a cycle tour of about 6 000 km to raise funds and also to inform schools about the negative results that ensue when schools abandon their religious ethos. Well-known South African actor, Hykie Berg, alongside AfriForum and Laerskool Jacobsdal, also undertook a hike in the Drakensberg as part of the information campaign for this case. The huge support received once again, underlined the high importance attached to religion in schools by parents and learners.

AfriForum is looking forward to the court process.