Teacher fired from primary school for not being baptised

The school director and staff were aware that the teacher, who has worked at the school just one year, was not baptised, and other teachers filled in for her for the teaching of Christian religions. VSKO requires every teacher in the network who gives classes in religion to provide a baptism certificate.

Some teachers in secondary education who do not give classes on religion do not have certificates on record, but pre-school and primary school teachers have more of a multi-task work day and are expected to be able to lead classes on religion.

“One of my teachers who has been working here for three years is able to receive a permanent contract, but I must let one of the other teachers go,” director Els Merens wrote in an email to parents. “I have decided to end Ilse’s contract because she is not baptised, which is a requirement in the Catholic education system.”

“The constant need to find teachers to replace her for the religion classes was probably the reason why the director of this school didn’t extend the teacher’s contract,” said Patrick Loobuyck, a religion scientist associated with Antwerp and Ghent universities. “It was the easiest solution.”

According to Loobuyck, the move is perfectly legal. “The Catholic education network has a strong philosophical and ideological identity. Legally speaking, it has the right to discriminate based on religious criteria.”