TFL Vsebine / Pravni letopis

Razen nekaterih redkih avtorjev slovenska pravna teorija na področju šole do sedaj ni namenjala veliko pozornosti razmerju med starši, otrokom in šolo. Država in pravna teorija bi se morali bolj zavedati občutljivosti otrokovih pravic na področju šole. Pomembno je poudariti, da otroci niso le objekt vzgoje in izobraževanja in s tem objekt pravic, temveč je treba upoštevati njihovo dostojanstvo in jih v vseh ravnanjih in postopkih, v katerih so udeleženi, obravnavati kot nosilce človekovih pravic. Institut zagovornika bi omogočal otroku (učencu, dijaku) ustrezno aktivno sodelovanje v procesih odločanja v postopkih vzgoje in izobraževanja in ga tako postavil v vlogo samostojnega nosilca pravic in obveznosti. Mednarodni pravni dokumenti in slovenska Ustava nas zavezujejo, da morajo biti pri vseh dejavnostih in postopanjih v zvezi z otrokom njegove koristi glavno vodilo. Upravni organi morajo kot izvajalci javne službe (sem sodijo osnovne šole, srednje šole, javni sklad v sklopu šole itd.) postopati po določilih Zakona o splošnem upravnem postopku (ZUP) vselej, kadar gre za odločanje o pravicah in obveznostih uporabnikov javne službe (učencev, dijakov, študentov itd.). V postopkih, kjer se smiselno ali subsidiarno uporabljajo določila ZUP, sodi v minimalen nabor norm, ki bi jih morali upoštevati, pravica stranke do zastopnika. Prav tako ZUP v svojih določilih opredeljuje zastopnika poslovno nesposobne osebe, kamor sodi tudi otrok do dopolnjenega 15. leta starosti. Primeri iz prakse (neobiskovanje pouka šoloobveznih otrok, izrekanje vzgojnih ukrepov dijakom itd.) kažejo na dejstvo, da so otrokove pravice v vzgoji in izobraževanju občutljivo področje, zato bi bilo treba implementirati institut zagovornika v krovne zakone s področja vzgoje in izobraževanja. Le ustrezen zakon lahko namreč določa pravice in obveznosti posameznih subjektov (ne pa na primer podzakonski akt). Še toliko bolj pa velja, da bi bilo institut zagovornika otroka treba vključiti v obstoječo šolsko zakonodajo, ko govorimo o uveljavljanju pravic otrok s posebnimi potrebami. Tu gre za otroke, ki so kakorkoli ovirani v normalnem razvoju in potrebujejo prilagoditve za kakovostnejše življenje. Na tak način bi se zagotovilo tudi učinkovito izvajanje predpisov s področja usmerjanja otrok s posebnimi potrebami, saj bi zagovornik pripomogel k ozaveščanju staršev in izvajalcev javnih služb, ki se pri delu vsakodnevno srečujejo s temi otroki. Ozaveščeni starši in izvajalci javnih služb pa pa lahko pozitivno pripomorejo k razvoju prakse, kar bo prav tako v korist otrokom. Področji družinskega in šolskega prava sta med seboj zelo povezani in prepleteni. Na to kaže že dejstvo, da imajo tako šola (v okviru izvajanja javne službe) kot tudi starši (v okviru roditeljske pravice) nalogo izobraževati in vzgajati. Predlog novega Družinskega zakonika uvaja institut zagovornika otroka, ki je predviden za izboljšanje položaja otroka v postopkih in aktivnostih v zvezi z njim. Vzporedno z uvedbo instituta zagovornika otroka na področju družinskega prava bi bilo otroku treba zagotoviti tudi posebnega, neodvisnega zastopnika na področju šolskega prava, ki bi otroku na njegovo željo pomagal v tovrstnih postopkih izraziti mnenje in bi poskrbel, da bi vsi postopki, opredeljeni v predpisih za vzgojo in izobraževanje, potekali pravilno (skladno z zakonodajo) in pravočasno.

Apart from some rare authors, Slovenian school-related law theory has not dedicated much attention to the parents – child – school relationship. The State and its legal theoreticians should be more alert to the vulnerability of children’s rights in the school environment. Children are not just an object of training and education and thus an object of rights for it is essential to also consider their dignity and to treat them as bearers of human rights in all matters and procedures in which they are involved. The institute of children’s right advocacy would allow the child (schoolchild, pupil) to take an active part in the decision-making processes in education, thus entrusting him with the role of an independent bearer of rights and obligations. According to the binding international legal documents and the Slovenian Constitution the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in all matters and procedures affecting him. Administrative organs as public service providers (elementary schools, secondary schools, public funds within schools etc.) have to proceed in conformity with the provisions of the General Administrative Procedure Act (GAPA) whenever deciding on the rights and obligations of users of public services (schoolchildren, pupils, students etc). In the procedures governed by the provisions of the GAPA or where these provisions are applied subsidiary, the right of the party to legal representation makes part of the basic norms that shall be duly met at all times. The GAPA provisions also define legal representative of an unemancipated person such as a minor less than 15 years of age. The cases observed in practice (school absenteeism, imposition of correctional measures on pupils etc.) highlight the fact that children’s rights in the field of education are vulnerable; in consequence, the institute of children’s right advocacy should be implemented in the umbrella acts relating to training and education. A suitable law alone (not an implementing regulation) can lay down the rights and obligations of single subjects. So it would be all the more important to incorporate the institute of children’s right advocacy into the existing school legislation when dealing with the enforcement of rights for children with special needs. The question is of children suffering from developmental disorders and requiring adaptations for a better quality of life. This would ensure an efficient implementation of provisions concerning children with special needs as the advocate would rise the awareness of both parents and public service providers whose work brings them in daily contact with these children. Wellinformed parents and public service providers can likewise contribute to the development of a practice that will benefit children. The areas of family and school laws are closely related to one another and interwoven with numerous ties. This obviously follows from the fact that both the school as a public service provider and parents with their parental rights are tasked to form and educate. The draft of the new Family Code introduces the institute of children’s rights advocacy with an aim to improve the status of the child in all relevant procedures and activities. In parallel with the introduction of the children’s rights advocacy institute in the area of family law the child should also have access to an independent representative in the field of school law who would, at the child’s request, assist the child to express his opinion and to make sure that all procedures as defined in the provisions on training and education are carried out correctly (in conformity with the law) and in due course.

Children’s Rights Advocacy in the Field of School Law