The British Humanist Association (BHA) has today welcomed plans by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) to debate the issue of discrimination by ‘faith schools’ in their admissions criteria and the need for schools to foster community cohesion, taking into account the needs of both religious groups and those of no religious affiliation.
Hanne Stinson, BHA Chief Executive, said, ‘It is very positive that the NUT conference will be voting on motions seeking to promote cohesion and against discrimination in our schools. Since last year, schools have had a legal duty to promote community cohesion, but it is doubtful whether this can be achieved while many have discriminatory admissions criteria which segregate children on the basis of religion.’
‘Ending selective admissions in state-funded faith schools is a crucial step towards a truly inclusive education system, but we also need to go further and tackle religious discrimination in employment of teachers and non-teaching staff, together with teaching a broad, balanced and objective curriculum and for inclusive assemblies to replace collective worship in all schools.’
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For further comment or information, contact Hanne Stinson on 020 7079 3583 or 07764 947 249
You can read more about the BHA’s education policy here.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious, campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief and is the largest organisation in the UK working for a secular society. 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.