UK worship laws under scrutiny: two thirds of Scots back pupils’ rights to withdraw

The UK’s collective worship laws are under fresh scrutiny as a Survation poll commissioned by Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) found that two thirds of Scottish people think pupils themselves should have the right to opt out of religious observance (RO), as it is known in Scotland. The poll coincides with a Bill in the Scottish Parliament which would give pupils a new right to opt back into RO if parents withdraw them, but offer no equivalent independent right to opt out.

This is despite the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling which ruled collective worship to be ‘indoctrination’. Humanists UK said an urgent review of collective worship should be carried out by the governments of all nations in light of the Court ruling, with the Bill now plainly inadequate.

The poll of 1,005 Scottish adults found that 66% believed that young people who are capable of forming a view should decide for themselves whether to take part in RO, with 21% disagreeing. Pupils’ right to withdraw was backed by a majority across supporters of all political parties, including 74% of SNP voters.

Stage 1 of the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill  is taking place today. HSS has warned that the Bill risks creating a ‘hierarchy of belief’ that empowers religious children but fails to respect the views of non-religious pupils. HSS has also warned that the Bill conflates religious education with religious observance. Research by HSS also found that children are forced to pray in school assemblies.

Humanists UK says the Bill is in any event completely inadequate in light of the Supreme Court ruling on Religious Education and collective worship in Northern Ireland (a case known as JR87). It says all the governments of the UK should urgently review collective worship laws in light of the judgment.

In a recent debate in the House of Lords, Education Minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said that ‘regardless’ of fewer people describing themselves as practising Christians, the UK Government saw a benefit in acts of collective worship.

Commenting on the poll, Humanists UK’s Education Campaigns Manager Lewis Young said: 

‘This poll from Humanist Society Scotland, following on from the landmark Supreme Court ruling, should be a wake-up call to the Scottish Government and indeed governments across the UK that collective worship laws are out of step with the needs of young people.

‘Government Ministers have argued that there is a benefit to Christian collective worship, regardless of where fewer people identify as Christian, but the Supreme Court is clear that there is no benefit, just indoctrination and stigmatisation of those who might seek to withdraw from it. All UK governments must urgently review collective worship laws and move to replace them with inclusive assemblies that respect every child’s freedom of belief.’