Judgment No. CCZ 7/16 21 Const. Application No. CCZ 17/15 “A necessary element of freedom and of dignity of any individual is an ‘entitlement to respect for the unique set of ends that the individual pursues’. One of those ends is the voluntary religious and cultural practices in which we participate. That we choose voluntarily rather than through a feeling of obligation only enhances the significance of a practice to our autonomy, our identity and our dignity.” These sentiments against coercive conduct are also sagaciously captured in the Big M Drug Mart case (supra) at 337A-D: “Freedom in a broad sense embraces both the absence of coercion and constraint, and the right to manifest beliefs and practices. Freedom means that, subject to such limitations as are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others, no one is to be forced to act in a way contrary to his beliefs or his conscience. What may appear good and true to a majoritarian religious group, or to the state acting at their behest, may not, for religious reasons, be imposed upon citizens who take a contrary view. The Charter safeguards religious minorities from the threat of ‘the tyranny of the majority’.” To conclude on this aspect, there can be no doubt that the applicant’s children are entitled to hold and practise their religious beliefs, whether within or without their homes, and within the precincts of the School. It also cannot be doubted that the applicants are entitled, in accordance with their own beliefs, to shape the moral and religious upbringing of their children. The applicants aver that to compel their daughters to attend chapel is contrary to their religious convictions because it entails the mixing of religious practices and attending church services in a building strewn with religious symbols. Therefore, their daughters do not wish to be present in the chapel. Having regard to the authorities cited above, I take the view that the School’s policy of compelling the applicants’ daughters to attend chapel services