The Russian solution to religion in schools

How Russia is trying to rebuild a moral and religious infrastructure while honoring the principle of free choice, sort of. The Associated Press: Russian pupils to have choice of religion, ethics:

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced a pilot project Tuesday that will require schoolchildren to take classes in religion or secular ethics.

The proposal is part of a Kremlin effort to teach young Russians morals in the wake of a turbulent period of uncertainty following the collapse of the officially atheist Soviet Union.

Medvedev said preteen students at about 12,000 schools in 18 Russian regions would take the classes. They will be offered the choice of studying the dominant Russian Orthodox religion, Islam, Buddhism or Judaism, or of taking an overview of all four faiths, or a course in secular ethics.

Students and their parents must be allowed to choose freely, Medvedev said in addressing top clerics and officials at his residence outside Moscow. “Any coercion, pressure will be absolutely unacceptable and counterproductive,” he said.

By 2012, the classes might be expanded nationwide, Medvedev said. The pilot project includes about 20 percent of Russia’s schools.

The offer of a choice appeared aimed to ease concerns that Russian Orthodoxy will be forced on schoolchildren as the church gains influence and tightens ties with the state.

Notice that only one version of Christianity will be allowed. Still, could some version of this scheme work here? What’s the problem with it?