North Rhine-Westphalia Court Orders Catholic School to Admit Non-Confessional Child

In a significant ruling, the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia has ordered a Catholic primary school in Bonn to admit a student who does not belong to any religious denomination. This decision overturns a previous judgment by the Administrative Court of Cologne, which had initially sided with the school's refusal to admit the child.

The case involved parents who sought to enroll their daughter in the Catholic Nikolaus School, the closest primary school to their home. While the parents reportedly agreed with the school's Catholic orientation, the headteacher denied admission, citing that all places were already filled. However, the court found that six places had been allocated to Catholic children who did not live in the immediate vicinity, suggesting a flawed admission process.

The court in Münster determined that the admission procedure was flawed because the six Catholic children had been admitted improperly. While Catholic children are generally entitled to a place at a Catholic school, the court clarified that this right applies to the closest school of that denomination to their residence, not just any Catholic school within a parish.

Consequently, the non-confessional student has been granted the right to a place at the Nikolaus School. The court mandated the school to provisionally admit the girl, ensuring her access to education without delay. The ruling is final, as an appeal against the Higher Administrative Court's decision is not permitted.