Press Interpreter

10/28/05 -- A judge in the Flemish town of Dendermonde ruled that Catholic schools are qualitatively better than any other schools. His judgment literally reads that “aside from any philosophical consideration, it can safely be asserted that Catholic schools and universities offer by far the best education.� The board of state schools is flabbergasted.

The judgment was rendered in late August and concerned a dispute between a recently divorced couple. The couple could not agree on the school choice of their daughter. The father chose a Catholic school, the mother chose another school. By virtue of the judge’s decision, the girl was enrolled in the school chosen by the father.

The board of state schools is outraged. In a letter to the minister of Justice, Laurette Onkelinx (Socialist Party), Paul De Knop, president of the board, asks for sanctions to be taken against the judge.

“Very bizarre indeed�, is the reaction of the press magistrate of Dendermonde, Stefaan Demeyer. “I have myself dealt with this sort of cases and the personal conviction of a judge may never be gleaned from a judgment. A judge should always demonstrate where he gets something from and it seems that this did not happen in the case.�

[Full article]

--Translated by Cedric Ryngaert

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