CPS: Children Rights Can�t Be Derogated by Parents Wishes

CMS

28 February 2007

The Centre for Peace Studies sent an open letter to the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, protesting the fact that 13-year old boy of Croatian-Liberian origin was expelled by his elementary school in Split on petition by the parents of the other students from his class. One of the reasons used to �justify� the request was that he was �bantu-black�.

The Headmaster justified his actions pointing out that the child didn�t speak Croatian well, while District Education Commissioner said that the boy was much older than the other students in his class.

CPS says in its letter that it expects from the Ministry - after a series of similar incidents in which parents were led by their prejudices towards Roma children, HIV-positive children and children of different ethnic background and expressed views that violate human rights of other citizens � to finally send clear message, together with the other institutions charged with protection of human rights, that human and children rights can�t be derogated just to meet the wishes of the parents.

CPS believes that, regardless of the wishes and motivation of the parents, there should be clear procedure to expel students, based on clear-cut criteria. Therefore, they expect from the Ministry to order inspector�s supervision and decide on the proper sanctions. In spite of the claims by the representatives of the school and District Bureau of Education that the decision was not racially motivate, this case undoubtedly proves the opposite.

CPS also expects from the Children Rights Ombudsperson to get involved in this case and to report to the public whether there were children rights violations.

"We expect from the Ministry to finally take a stand in the defence of the right to education and dignity for every child and to avoid to be led by opportunism, but to base its decisions on accepted legal and moral principles�, states the letter.

Finally, CMS demands from the Ministry, as association that works for full implementation of human rights, to inform the public what are the issues on which the parents have autonomy of decision about education of their children.