Reacting to the Pope’s remarks on education made at this morning’s ‘Big Assembly’ event, BHA Education Campaigner James Gray said ‘The Pope’s speech this morning confirms that he views the UK’s state-funded education system as a means of instilling Catholic doctrine in children. His assertion that religious beliefs should be ‘the driving force’ behind every aspect of school life shows that the Catholic Church has no intention of providing a broad and balanced education to pupils.’
‘Most state-funded Catholic schools in England and Wales have the power to turn children away simply because their parents hold the wrong beliefs and many discriminate against teachers and staff on religious grounds. The Catholic authorities have also continually fought attempts to give pupils in their schools an entitlement to objective, evidence-based teaching on sex and relationships and religious education.’
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For further information contact James Gray on 020 7462 4993 / james@humanists.uk
Read the Pope’s remarks on education in full
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.