academics, and politicians oppose faith school discrimation
A group of religious leaders, parliamentarians, education experts, and prominent public figures have signed a joint letter calling on the new Education Secretary Damian Hinds to reconsider a proposal to allow fully segregated intakes in new and existing religious free schools. The letter, organised by Humanists UK, states that removing the so-called 50% cap on religious selection betrays the duty of schools to be ‘open, inclusive, diverse, and integrated’.
In 2016, the Government consulted on proposals to drop the current requirement that all new religious free schools keep at least half of their places open to all local children, irrespective of religion or belief. This is despite the evidence that the so-called 50% cap on religious selection has significantly boosted integration in religious schools and improved the fair access of local families to local schools.
Whilst the former Education Secretary, Justine Greening, was understood to have reconsidered the proposals following extensive campaigning by Humanists UK and its supporters, the new Education Secretary is now reportedly going ahead with the proposals.
Among the signatories to the joint letter are former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, President of the Accord Coalition for Inclusive Education Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain OBE, former government integration tsar Ted Cantle CBE, the General Secretaries of the National Education Union Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson, and a number of high-profile authors, academics, and entertainers.
The letter reads:
We represent a diverse range of educational, religious, political, academic, and other stakeholders from across British society, and our views on the merits or otherwise of faith schools are diverse too. However, we are all in agreement that our state schools, of whatever character, should be open, inclusive, diverse, and integrated, and never exclusive, monocultural, or segregated.
The Government rightly identifies the promotion of mutual understanding and tolerance for those of different religions and beliefs as one of the most important roles for schools. As we are all aware, children are blind to the differences and immune to the prejudices that so often divide society. The duty of the education system, therefore, should not be to highlight and entrench such differences in the eyes and minds of young people, but to emphasise instead the common values that we all share.
Removing the 50% cap on religious selection at faith-based free schools runs entirely counter to this ambition. It is difficult to bring to mind a more divisive policy, or one more deleterious to social cohesion and respect, than one which allows schools to label children at the start of their lives with certain beliefs and then divide them up on that basis.
The Department for Education is yet to respond formally to its consultation on these proposals – opposed by 80% of the public, including 67% of Catholics and 71% of Christians overall. All the evidence shows categorically that the cap has achieved its stated aim. It is not too late to maintain it.
Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury
Revd Stephen Terry, Chair, Accord Coalition
Derek McAuley, Chief Officer, General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
Rabia Mirza, Director, British Muslims for Secular Democracy
Revd Iain McDonald
Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary, NEU
Kevin Courtney, General Secretary, NEU
Professor Steve Jones
Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain OBE, President, Accord Coalition
Sarah Wollaston MP
Dr Theo Hobson
Lord Storey, President, Liberal Democrat Education Association
Jonathan Bartley, co-leader, Green Party
Caroline Lucas MP, co-leader, Green Party
John Bolt, Secretary, Socialist Education Association
Revd Marie Dove
Professor Richard Dawkins
Baroness Whitaker
Rabbi Dr David Goldberg OBE
Louise King, Director, Children’s Rights Alliance for England
Simon Barrow, Director, Ekklesia
Professor Ted Cantle CBE, Director, Institute for Community Cohesion Foundation
Lord Meghnad Desai
Baroness Lola Young
Professor Alice Roberts
Revd Richard Bentley
Lord Tristan Garel-Jones
Revd Jeremy Chadd
Peter Tatchell
Professor Christopher Rowland
Natalie Haynes
Sir Stephen Sedley
Baroness Joan Bakewell, co-chair, All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
Ian McEwan CBE
Simon Singh MBE
Baroness Thornton
Philip Pullman CBE
Lord Dick Taverne
Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Professor Richard Norman
Alan Murray, Director, All Faiths and None
Professor Colin Blakemore
Dr Peter Cave
Nicci Gerrard
Professor Stephen Gibbons
Sir John Sulston
Professor Richard Wiseman
Sue Cook
Professor AC Grayling CBE
Michael Gore CVO, CBE
Joan Smith
Sir Roy Calne
Professor Raymond Tallis
Professor Stephen Smartt
Dr Richard Bartle
Professor David Hand
Jamie Theakston
Elisabeth Dalton
Janet Ellis MBE
Baroness Elaine Murphy
Sir Keith Thomas
Professor Pat McKeown OBE
Professor Sir Anthony Epstein CBE
Professor Keith Ward
Virginia Ironside
Warren Ellis
Dr Michael Irwin
Adèle Anderson
Baroness Lorely Burt
Maureen Duffy
Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented, ‘People from across the political spectrum, representing a range of different religions and beliefs, are united on this one point: whatever your views on faith schools themselves, it cannot be right for taxpayer-funded schools to divide and discriminate against children. That is the principle that underpins this letter, and it ought to be the principle that underpins our education system too.’
Notes
For further comment or information please contact Humanists UK Education Campaigner Jay Harman on jay@humanists.uk or 0207 324 3078.
See the letter printed in the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2018/03/06/lettersthreats-local-councils-will-not-solve-britains-housing/
Read Humanists UK’s briefings on the 50% cap:
- Religious lobbying on the 50% cap – https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016-11-17-BHA-briefing-Religious-lobbying-on-50-per-cent-cap.pdf
- General briefing: 50% cap on religious selection – https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Briefing-on-50-religious-selection-cap.pdf
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.