Shadow minister evasive on ‘Catholics-only’ teachers for Church schools

Asked to comment on the news about a leaked Curia document which demands that heads of school and staff – such as PSD teachers – be appointed on criteria that include ‘substantive life choices’ based on Catholic belief, shadow education minister Joe Cassar has remained evasive on the Opposition’s stand on the controversial plans.

The document, ‘Practising Catholic As A Requirement For Eligibility And Selection Of Staff In Church Schools’ – the news of which was greeted with unambiguous hostility from both the Malta Teachers’ Union (MUT) and the General Workers’ Union (GWU) – lays down requirements that will forbid top school posts to be occupied by people who do not share the Catholic faith or “do not adhere in their substantive life choices to the teachings of the Catholic Church”. 

“The Nationalist Party wasn’t invited for the consultation process on this issue, but according to what is public to date, this is an internal document which was leaked to the media. The Nationalist Party will discuss the final document once it is public,” Cassar said. 

When pressed to comment further on the matter – particularly since the document has been labelled as being in breach of employment practices and ‘un-Constitutional’ – Cassar added that, “I believe this is an issue which should be discussed”.

“I am aware that there are pros and cons and arguments for and against. Therefore, I look forward to discuss such an issue both with the Curia and other unions who came out against the proposal,” Cassar said. 

Should the proposals drafted in the document be implemented, they could close the door to the employment of divorced teachers, gay teachers, or even single parents who have had children out of wedlock, or parents of IVF children, if these “substantive life choices” are not in line with Catholic teaching.

The key posts that can be filled only by ‘practising Catholics’ will be head teachers or principals; assistant heads; coordinator of religious education and staff that teaches religion; counsellors, PSD teachers, and other staff “who assist students to address and make substantive life-choices that involve fundamental Catholic values”; key leadership posts that “directly affect the Catholic mission of the school”, and any appointees to key posts in the Church Schools Secretariat.

The Church is not ruling out other teaching posts that it says could “directly affect the Catholic mission of a school”.

Practising Catholics will be defined as those who are baptised as well as living up to the faith’s sacramental obligations; and whose life choices reflect a “religious, moral and ethical behaviour in accordance with the teachings of Christ… and (are) not in any way detrimental or prejudicial to the religious ethos and character of the school”.

After MaltaToday published an exclusive report on the document last week, the MUT reacted strongly against it, describing the proposals in the document as ‘medieval’ and claiming that it “will be taking all necessary action” to protect its members. 

Pointing out that, “worse still, the document reportedly makes it incumbent upon the individual employee to self-report if he/she enters into such life-choices and also invites prying into the private lives of church schools employees”. 

“Employment by the Church in Malta is governed by Maltese law, which clearly does not allow for such odious distinctions to regulate the selection or promotion of employees,” the MUT added.

The MUT said it will not endorse such a document, “which blatantly goes counter to Maltese employment laws and practices and defies the most basic and fundamental human rights, such as the right to privacy, the right to family life, inclusion and equality”, describing the move as “the most oppressive and repressive employment practices reminiscent of the Middle Ages”.

The General Workers’ Union also joined the chorus of disapproval, describing the document as ‘anti-constitutional’ and saying that it supports the MUT in condemning the “attempt to introduce discriminatory procedures in the selection of new employees and promotions” in Church schools. 

“The Curia’s proposals breach labour laws and the Constitution, which does not permit discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs,” the GWU said, adding that it condemned the proposal where employees could be forced to resign over circumstances in their private lives, such as separation or parenthood outside marriage.

In reaction, the Curia said that the document is subject to an ongoing process of internal consultation within the Church and its school authorities. 

“The education secretariat reserves the right to hold a consultation on its draft plan freely, and comment on the process once the Church is in a position to announce to the public its school policies, in the light of their identity and mission and in full respect of fundamental human rights. We appeal for responsibility on such statements, and for them not to be based on media reports that come to the wrong conclusions.”