Archbishop can’t be serious – humanists react to faith schools speech The British Humanist Association (BHA) reacts to news of a speech to be given to the National Church Schools Conference tomorrow (Tuesday) on faith schools.
Andrew Copson , education officer at the BHA, said:
“Rowan Williams says that faith schools can provide the ‘broadest possible access to ideas’ for young people. In fact, nothing could be further from the case, and the law actually protects the right of faith schools to do precisely the opposite. Unlike community schools, faith schools are not required to follow a broad and balanced curriculum of RE.
“Faith schools discriminate in their admissions, they have exemptions from the law prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief, and they can discriminate in their employment policies too.
“Community schools, open to all, which are inclusive and accommodating of children from all cultural backgrounds, are the best way to educate children for a shared future. Children should be learning together, not encouraged to grow apart.”
NOTES
The British Humanist Association represents and supports the non-religious. It is the largest such organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief. In education, this means an end to the expansion of faith schools and for the assimilation of those that currently exist into a system of inclusive and accommodating community schools.
In February, the BHA published a revised edition of ‘A Better Way Forward’ – a report on religion and schools, you can read it here
The supporting evidence for ‘A Better Way Forward’ has been continuously updated for the last five years with an online collection of statistics, reports, and quotes from stakeholders, you can read it here
Further enquiries can be addressed to Andrew by email or by telephone on 020 7079 3585