Minister Slob’s instruction that the board of the Haga Lyceum in Amsterdam must resign was not justified and contrary to the freedom of education. The court in Amsterdam ruled that in the case that the Islamic Education Foundation had brought.
According to the court, there are signs of unlawful action and enrichment by individuals, but that in itself is not sufficient to send the entire board away. There was no question of overall financial mismanagement, as the minister states. Moreover, these financial shortcomings were already known, and they were no reason for the education inspectorate to intervene.
Nor has it been shown that citizenship education at the Haga Lyceum falls short. According to the court, the school did not have to distance itself from people with Salafist ideas who would have visited the school. Their influence on the school was limited or has not been established, according to the court.
Close the cash tap
Minister Slob said in July that the board of the foundation had to be replaced. The reason was a report from the Education Inspectorate. It stated that the school did not teach students the values of democracy and the rule of law. The board would also be guilty of self-enrichment and financial mismanagement.
An interim director had to put an end to the abuses that had been established by the inspection. If the board was not replaced before the start of the new school year, Slob would shut the money down.
Money tap gradually closed
The board did not meet the deadline, they say, because the intended replacement director was not a Muslim and it would take a while before he could be appointed. In November the Council of State prevented the money tap from closing on 1 December. That tap may only be turned on gradually over a period of six months.
The board also challenged the grounds on which Slob ordered the board to leave. Here too, it has now been proved right by the court.
Minister Slob is studying the ruling and will come with a response this afternoon.
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