Teachers in Dracula’s home region of Transylvania might feel more comfortable if they could keep a crucifix to hand when marking after dark.
But they and other teachers in Romania are likely to be banned from displaying religious icons in the classroom.
It has been customary for Romanian teachers to hang crucifixes, illustrations of saints and other icons above their blackboards, as the country’s population is 90 per cent Orthodox.
However, the Romanian National Committee Against Discrimination has recommended to the government that all religious icons be removed from display in schools, except during optional religious studies classes.
The Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic and Orthodox Church have jointly condemned the move as outrageous and complained that the committee has a confused attitude towards the value of freedom.
There is no news on whether garlic will be banned from Romanian classrooms next.
