Italy Fights For the Crucifix

A recent European court has called for a ban on all religious symbols in class rooms.  This is a problem for Italy.  How much more Roman Catholic can you get than Italy?  Italy is fighting for the right to keep crucifixes up in their class rooms.  One parent, who wanted a secular education for her children, already successfully sued over the presence of a crucifix.  You can read the story here.  I understand that in this multicultural world, we can not assume the religious backgrounds or preferences of parents of students.  But surely there is something better that can be done.  Is not school about education?  The Roman Catholic tradition is a huge part of the historical heritage of Italy and it should not be suppressed.  They should not make people follow the Roman Catholic faith or denigrate people of other or no faiths, but I do not see how removing this symbol will improve any child's education.