Politicization of Education. A Kantian Defence of the Right of State to Enforce and Model Public Religious Education

Since mid-20th century political philosophy has been increasingly disconnected from pedagogics. In recent decade questions have been raised in the pedagogical field about the politici-zation of education in general and of religious education. The aim of this article twofold: Firstly, to point out that the discussion whether religious education as part of public education should aim for political neutrality in constitutional democratic states is misguided because the very idea of public education is political. Secondly, to show that it is possible to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate politicization of education and religious education. I will approach these questions by revisiting the Kantian justification of public education as part of his broader political philosophy and doctrine of right. Kant’s philosophy provides certain conceptual tools that can be used to determine whether public education can be legitimately politicized, and whether there are limits to this. The main argument is that, given the possibility that religion may undermine the citizen’s adherence to and endorsement of fundamental principles of the constitutional state, the state has a right to politicize religious education within the limits of the very same principles. This Kantian approach represents a middle way between the two extremes of a thoroughly politicized religious education based on a culturally conservative re-interpretation of democracy, and a rejection of religious education as normatively unacceptable within public education due to a radical ideal of state neutrality.