Ban on Political Debates in Vaud Schools Remains in Force
Published: Friday, Sep 29th 2023, 17:26
Aktualisiert am: Freitag, 13. Oktober 2023, 14:12
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In the canton of Vaud, the debate ban introduced by Education Director Fréderic Borloz (FDP) remains in place in schools before elections. The Vaud Constitutional Court ruled that a request from 57 complainants to lift the ban was inadmissible. The government has stated that the General Directorates and the Education Department will not comment further until they receive the full ruling. The debate ban caused a stir beyond the cantonal borders. On August 31, Borloz informed the school directors through an internal directive that political debates in Vaud educational institutions were now prohibited in the ten weeks before an election. This guideline is intended to prevent canvassing during the election campaign and to maintain the neutrality of the school. The complainants, mainly members of left-wing parties and trade unions, argued that a contradictorily conducted debate in school does not fall under political propaganda and does not affect the neutrality of the lesson. They filed a complaint to obtain a suspensive effect of the government's directive in order to organize debates in the context of the federal elections in October. The opponents also hope for a long-term victory in the matter. Their goal is to have the guideline declared null and void.
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