In a world increasingly dominated by statist and uniformest ideologies, the Catholic Church raises its voice to remind us of a fundamental truth:  the education of children is a natural and primary right of parents, not a concession from the State. This principle, deeply rooted in the Church’s social doctrine, is being challenged today on multiple fronts. The battle for educational freedom thus becomes an inalienable duty for believers, and especially for Christian parents committed to the spiritual and human future of their children.

The right-duty to educate: the teaching of the Church

The Catechism of the Catholic Church  (nos. 2221-2229) teaches that  “parents have the primary responsibility for the education of their children.” This is not just one option among many, but a mission entrusted by God before any form of civil authority. This education includes not only intellectual or civic aspects, but also, and above all, moral and religious formation.

The Second Vatican Council, in its declaration Gravissimum Educationis, affirms that  “parents, by having given life to their children, have a most grave obligation to educate them and must therefore be recognized as their first and principal educators”  (GE 3). The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church  (n. 239) reinforces this idea, denouncing every form of state interference that seeks to supplant or condition this right.

The State: subsidiary, not protagonist

In a healthy vision of the common good, the State has a subsidiary role, that is, it should assist, not replace, families. Its role is to ensure that everyone has access to education and to safeguard the quality of the system, but it should never impose a single model of thought or discriminate against those who wish to be educated according to their faith.

However, in many parts of the world, there is a worrying advance of educational policies that impose gender ideologies, moral relativism, or practical atheism. Parents who try to exercise their right to an education in accordance with their religious beliefs face legal, economic, and social obstacles.

This is especially serious in contexts where public schools have ceased to be neutral and have become a vehicle for social engineering. As Pope Francis has warned,  “gender ideology is an ideological colonization”  that “erasures differences and makes everything equal” (Meeting with Families in the Philippines, 2015).

The Catholic school and the option for freedom

In this context, Catholic-inspired schools remain a beacon of light amidst the confusion, integrating faith, reason, and culture into a coherent vision of the human being. But even these schools are often pressured to compromise their principles or excluded from public funding systems.

Freedom of education and the right of parents to choose the religious and moral education they desire for their children are recognized in international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights  (Article 18.4) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  (Article 26.3). To deny this right is to undermine the dignity of the family and democracy itself.

A battle that demands commitment

The battle for educational freedom is not ideological, but profoundly human and Christian. It requires parents to inform themselves, organize, and act courageously, demanding that public authorities respect their rights and fostering spaces where faith can be transmitted without censorship or fear.

As St. John Paul II reminded us,  “the family is the first and principal subject of education”  (Familiaris Consortio, 36). Upholding this principle means not only protecting our children, but also preserving the moral fabric of our society.