# Cluj School Inspectorate religious directive controversy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cluj-school-inspectorate-religious-directive-controversy > Updated: 2026-09-04T07:38:01.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2. A controversy has emerged in Cluj, Romania, involving Marinela Marc, the head of the Cluj County School Inspectorate (ISJ Cluj). The dispute was triggered by a directive signed by Marc instructing schools in Cluj-Napoca to “ensure the participation of one class of students” in a religious Te Deum service at the Cathedral to mark the start of the school year. Senator Ciprian Rus of the USR party criticized the directive, arguing that religious participation should be a personal choice and questioning the legal basis for the request. In response, MEP Rareș Bogdan of the PNL defended the Inspectorate, stating that the service was not mandatory and accusing USR of attacking traditional Romanian values. Following the public outcry, the Inspectorate clarified that participation was not compulsory. The incident has led to renewed calls from USR Cluj for Marc’s resignation. The party alleges that Marc was a political appointment by PNL leaders without passing required examinations and cited previous controversies, including a criticized student palm-scanning project, as grounds for her removal. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-04: Cluj School Inspectorate directive sparks religious participation debate Cluj politicians are debating a School Inspectorate directive that requested student participation in a religious Te Deum service, sparking disputes over religious freedom and administrative mandates. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cluj-school-inspectorate-directive-sparks-religious-participation-debate ### 2026-09-02: USR Cluj demands resignation of School Inspectorate head Marinela Marc USR Cluj is demanding the resignation of School Inspectorate head Marinela Marc following controversies regarding religious service mandates and previous political appointment allegations. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/usr-cluj-demands-resignation-of-school-inspectorate-head-marinela-marc --- Cite as: Cluj School Inspectorate religious directive controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cluj-school-inspectorate-religious-directive-controversy