Catholic School in Terrassa Investigated for Being "Ultra-Catholic"
On 22 May 2025, the Catalan Parliament approved a motion condemning what it called “reactionary ultra-Catholic groups” in schools and urging the Government to withdraw public funding from schools found to violate fundamental rights or spread “hate speech”. The debate referred to Mare de Déu del Carme, a Catholic school in Terrassa whose religious teaching had drawn complaints from some families. The school rejected allegations of “indoctrination” and reaffirmed its Catholic identity and educational mission, but education authorities subsequently placed its curriculum and other practices under extended supervision.
On 22 May 2025, the Parliament of Catalonia approved Moció 76/XV (Motion 76/XV), condemning attempts by what it called “reactionary ultra-Catholic groups” to “indoctrinate” pupils. It urged the Government to withdraw public funding from schools found to violate fundamental rights or spread “hate speech”, and to strengthen inspections for “ideological indoctrination”. Members of Parliament cited Collegi Mare de Déu del Carme (Our Lady of Mount Carmel School), a publicly funded Catholic school in Terrassa, during the debate. The adopted motion did not name the school or withdraw its funding.
The dispute began after around 150 families complained that changes in the Catholic school’s management had brought more religious content into lessons and activities. El País reported the families’ description of an “ultra-Catholic” turn and their allegations that some teachers had made “homophobic and xenophobic” comments. The families also objected to increased religious instruction and prayer outside religion lessons. Treating the school’s religious character itself as evidence of “indoctrination” would, however, render it impossible for the school to offer the Catholic education for which it was founded.
The Department of Education and Vocational Training opened an inquiry and, in late May, formally asked the school to show that its educational project respected religious and ideological freedom and avoided “indoctrination”. It also requested information about teachers’ qualifications, the use of Catalan, fees and communication with families. Those administrative questions formed part of the inquiry alongside the allegations concerning religious teaching.
A conciliation commission concluded its work on 28 November 2025. In its statement to families, the school reaffirmed the Catholic character of the school: "The Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is a Catholic school, whose proprietorship belongs to the Carmelite order. These two facts are indisputable and have not been the subject of debate in the commission. For this reason, we are asked to communicate this distinctive character of the centre more clearly, so that families' choices are unequivocal and clear, thus avoiding any subsequent problems that might arise."
The school also underlined that no evidence of “indoctrination” or “homophobic” statements had been established. The school agreed to explain its religious character more clearly to families, update required educational documents and improve communication. The families who complained, on the contracy, said that the commission had found shortcomings and had demanded reforms from the school.
Under the measures reported in December, inspectors will review lesson plans and teaching materials, especially in social sciences and history, during the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years. They will also check teachers’ qualifications and the use of Catalan. The school’s public funding has not been reported as withdrawn. How the supervision is applied will determine whether the school remains free to teach openly from its Catholic perspective while meeting the educational requirements that apply to it.
Source: El Debate, El País, MónTerrassa, Cadena SER
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