Funny how Russia is fast embracing freedom and the US is quickly embracing socialism.
Russia has experienced atheistic, religion-free life since 1917. We are just moving into that era, relatively speaking. They know what it is like; the "enlightened" here only think they know. How sad...for us.
Here's one that might surprise quite a lot of you, as a devout Orthodox, I am fully against such a measure. Religeon in public schools should not be taught from a religeous point of view nor should it be a manditory class. Further more, if the Chruch wishes to teach religion, then it needs to set up religious schools and Sunday school classes...where people can go voluntarly to learn about the "Orthodox" culture. Russia is created of many ethnic groups and religions, it is a federation, this will only hurt not help said federation. While the Orthodox Church is the main faith of the nation and should remain so, it needs to go about the same routes as everyone else, because I highly doubt that they would want Catholic culture or Jewish culture or Buddist culture classes manditorly taught.
This is no more freedom then having atheism force fed to the population, now it's just another faith. Let me ask you Catholics and Orthodox in America this: how would you like to have your kids force fed Puritanist Culture, after all, that was what founded America. Or should all Christian kids in Isreal be force fed Jewish Culture in schools? Government schools must be secular because no population is 100% homogenous, religion belongs in churchs, the home and church schools.