Humanists respond to new coalition government on religion and education

20 May 2010

In its programme for government published today, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition has announced that it will ‘work with faith groups to enable more faith schools’.

The BHA has expressed surprise and disappointment with this announcement.

Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive said, ‘The Labour government was the first ever government to seek to increase the number and diversity of state-funded religious schools – a policy that was totally out of step with public opinion, social justice and sound educational principles. It is astonishing that the coalition government should maintain one of Labour’s most unpopular policies. 72% of people believe that state funded schools should not discriminate on grounds of religion or belief and 42% of people think there should be no more state-funded faith schools at all.’

Humanists gave a cautious welcome, however, to the Coalition’s pledge to ‘facilitate inclusive admissions policies in as many [faith] schools as possible.’

‘If we are to continue to have faith schools within the state system ’, Mr Copson continued, ‘the least we can do to mitigate their divisive effects is to prevent those which discriminate in admissions from doing so. If the government is serious about “inclusiveness” and a fair school system then it needs to rule out religious discrimination in admissions in all new schools and academies completely, and begin immediately to phase out discrimination in existing faith schools in the state sector.’

In its more general education programme, the government has also announced that it will ensure ‘all schools have greater freedom over the curriculum’.

Responding to this policy, Mr Copson said, ‘In recent years the national curriculum has been reduced in size and restrictiveness to a great extent. Many of us are now more concerned about what it leaves out – sex and relationships education, evolution, and a proper study of non-religious philosophies for a start. We look forward to seeing what positive ideas the government has for curriculum development along these lines.’

In conclusion, he said, ‘One area where the law is a straightjacket on good educational practice is in still requiring all schools – decades after it became thoroughly objectionable in our plural society – to hold daily Christian acts of religious worship. Freedom from this archaism would definitely be a freedom worth granting.’

Notes:

More on the BHA’s work on faith schools.

Labour’s policy increased the number and diversity of state-funded religious schools. The current situation is that approximately a third of all state-funded schools are schools 'with a religious character.'

In a YouGov/Accord poll of June 2009:

· 57% believed that state funded schools that selected students according to their religion harm community cohesion.

· 72% agreed or strongly agreed that all schools should implement recruitment and employment policies that do not discriminate on grounds of religion or belief.

· 74% held the view that all state schools should teach an objective and balanced syllabus for education about a wide range of religious and non-religious beliefs.

According to the British Social Attitudes Survey 2010, 42% of all those questioned are against any form of faith school.

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