Many parents and students experience that pride celebrations, flag-raising, educational programs or activities in schools are carried out without sufficient consideration for parental rights, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and students' right to exemption or alternative programs.
The Christian Resource Center has therefore made available legal assessments, templates and prepaid legal assistance for cases where the school does not adequately safeguard these rights.
In order for a lawyer to be connected quickly and efficiently, it is important that the case is first documented in writing and factually, and that you yourself have initiated communication with the school.
Below is a detailed step-by-step breakdown of what is required of you, and what the path forward is to succeed. We are rooting for you, and will support you along the way.
Before a lawyer can be involved, you must have initiated factual and written communication with the school yourself.
This applies whether you are a parent/guardian or a student over the age of 15. Send an email to the principal asking the school to explain how, when and why pride celebrations should be held, how students who are not or do not want to participate are protected, and how parents' rights are protected under the law if they do not want pride celebrations for their children.
On www.stoppride.no You will find templates and legal assessments that can be used in your email to the school. We recommend that you use these documents, or equivalent wording, already in your first contact.
It is important that the school is made aware of the rights at stake early on. If the school rejects or ignores these rights, it may have an impact on further proceedings. Set a short and specific deadline for response, for example 3–5 working days, so that time does not run out for you.
It is best for each family to submit their own request. Several individual requests often carry more weight than one joint protest, and the Education Act is mainly designed for each individual student and parent and not as a group.
If the school denies your rights, fails to answer key questions, or refers to political decisions, Udir, municipal guidelines, flag rules, or general formulations about "diversity", you should ask for a new and clearer explanation.
Such references do not automatically set aside parental rights, the right to exemption, freedom of religion or the Education Act.
Therefore, send a follow-up email in which you:
Keep the tone factual, clear and in writing. Avoid verbal clarifications alone. If you speak to the school on the phone or in person, you should send a short summary by email afterwards.
A lawyer can be contacted when:
The goal is not to escalate unnecessarily, but to ensure that the school takes rights seriously before pride celebrations or activities are held.
When the matter has reached the point where the school does not meet the requirements, you can send the documentation to us.
Send email to:
www.kristenshop.no
Please mark the subject line of the email with:
Legal assistance – Pride in the school + [NAME OF THE SCHOOL]
Attach:
Be brief and specific. We don't need a long explanation at first. The most important thing is that the documentation is neat.
All information is treated confidentially by Kristent Ressurssenter and is only shared with a lawyer if necessary to assess or follow up on the case.
Do not send more sensitive personal information about the child than is necessary to understand the matter.
When we receive the case, we make an initial assessment.
We look at, among other things:
If the case is suitable, we will contact a lawyer and review the documentation. We will then arrange further contact with you.
Once the case has been clarified, and you have given consent for a lawyer to represent you, the lawyer can take over further communication with the school. This can happen quickly if the documentation and case are well documented and everything is attached.
The lawyer's first goal will normally be to get the school to reconsider the case and find a solution without legal conflict.
For example, it could be that the school:
If the school still does not uphold the rights, the case can be taken further.
Possible next steps could be:
If the case ultimately has to be considered by the courts, this will be clarified thoroughly with the parents, the student and the lawyer in advance.
No case is taken to court without the consent of those affected.
A case does not normally become public just because a lawyer is involved. The case is treated confidentially, unless the parents or the student themselves want public attention to the case.
If the family wishes to raise the issue in the media, Christian Resource Center can also provide advice, press contact and communication. This is only possible by appointment.
Legal assistance is covered financially through the fundraising campaign that has been established to help parents and students in cases of forced pride in schools.
The goal is that parents and students should not be left alone when the school, municipality or system puts political or ideological considerations ahead of fundamental rights.
Legal assistance applies to cases that are considered relevant, documented and suitable for legal follow-up.
Important additional information:
Legal assistance is covered through a fundraising campaign, within available funds and after a specific assessment of the case. Kristent Ressurssenter cannot guarantee legal follow-up in all inquiries, but will prioritize cases where violations of rights are well documented. Legal assistance is dependent on approved lawyers being available for assignments during the period in question. Lawyers to be used must be members of the Kristent Advokatnetværktøver who have a mandate and commitment to handle such cases. Kristent Ressurssenter will be able to interrupt funding for an initiated case by written notice, if something about the case indicates that it is not appropriate to continue for various reasons or the case is perceived as sufficiently resolved, or that there is no basis for continuing the proceedings. In that case, legal assistance will be covered until that time and guardians can decide for themselves whether they want to continue using the lawyer. Kristent Ressurssenter is not responsible for the legal assistance, but covers the costs of legal assistance in cases that have been clarified between the parties, and is actively involved in the process between lawyer and parent/student.
