Further memorandum submitted by the British
Humanist Association (BHA)
The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the
national charity representing the interests of the large and growing
population of ethically concerned and non-religious people living
in the UK. For almost the whole of our existence since 1896 we
have been promoting the view that all state funded schools should
include and educate pupils of all beliefs together, so that they
can learn about and from each other. Because we doubt that religious
schools can contribute to social cohesion or fully recognise the
rights of all their pupils, we have strongly opposed Government
plans since 2002 to expand the number and variety of religious
schools. Instead, we have proposed that religious schools be effectively
phased out by absorption into a reformed community school system
in which the faith communities are offered facilities for voluntary
worship, religious instruction and other "accommodations"
in line with developing anti-discrimination law.
These policies and our objections to state funded
religious schools are explained in full in A Better Way Forward,
attached as an annex,[11]
and so we do not replicate them here. We do wish, however, to
emphasise three objections to "faith" schools that are
particularly relevant to consideration of this sector as it stands.
These are admissions, employment and curriculum.
ADMISSIONS
In areas where the only schools nearby are religious
schools, parents are often surprised and distressed by the element
of religious selection that occurs. One parent contacting the
BHA was "shocked when both of [the nearest] schools required
us to fill in additional application forms on which we had to
categorise our son on religious grounds." The idea of categorising
one's children in this way is deeply problematic for those who
believe in the child's autonomy.
Another parent discovered that the "nearest
school with places for children who are not C of E or Catholic
is... about three miles away and on the other side of [the town].
The local state school which has no religious denomination is
full and has a long waiting list." The separation of children
from the children with whom they have hitherto been growing up,
because they are not going to the same school as their peers,
can be an isolating experience.
It is also undoubtedly the case, as evidenced
by the research of Anne West and others, that selection on religious
grounds can often be selection on socio-economic grounds in practice;
further, selection on religious grounds in minority faith schools
can also be ethnic, either explicitly so in the case of Jewish
schools, or indirectly so in the case of (eg) Muslim schools.
This can clearly contribute to segregation.
EMPLOYMENT
The ability of "faith" schools to
discriminate in this way has actually been expanded very recently.
Section 37(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 amended
Section 58(4) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to
remove the ban on head teachers in Voluntary Controlled schools
with a religious character being selected on religious grounds;
section 37(2) of the 2006 Act also amended 60(6) of the School
Standards and Framework Act 1998 to remove protection from discrimination
on the grounds of religion from non-teaching staff at Voluntary
Aided schools with a religious character.
In light of such new powers to discriminate
and the expansion of "faith" schools, no doubt even
more professionals will find themselves in the position of one
teacher who recently contacted the BHA: "As a primary school
teacher, I have long been aware that I am discriminated against
because of my beliefs. So many primaries, perhaps particularly
here in the north west, are faith schools that my inability to
provide a faith reference has meant that my opportunities for
employment are severely restricted. On first moving to the area
over 10 years ago I did apply to C of E, Methodist and RC schools
even though they stated `practising... preferred', as I thought
that it might be a formality. However, it soon became apparent
that this was not the case, and now I don't even bother to apply.
At one interview, I was asked if I were a Christian and I replied
that I tried to live my life according to values which Christians
shared. I was told that this was not enough and that to work in
their school, I needed to have Christ in my heart. Needless to
say, I did not get the position."
CURRICULUM
One of the defences of state-funded "faith"
schools is that they must teach the national curriculum and that
it is better, therefore, to have them inside the maintained sector
than outside. This defence ignores that fact, however, that the
subject which it is most vital that "faith" schools
be required to give a balanced education in, Religious Education,
is not on the National Curriculum. Instead, voluntary aided "faith"
schools teach their own syllabus of RE, unlike community schools
which follow a syllabus set by the local authority.
COMMUNITY COHESION
Under the new duty to promote community cohesion,
it is not only the treatment of religious beliefs and backgrounds
that will be held relevant to the duty but the treatment of non-religious
beliefs and backgrounds, as has been made clear by Ofsted and
by DCSF guidance on the duty. It would be interesting to know
from representatives of "faith" schools how they intend
to handle this aspect of the new duty, and we submit that this
would be a good question for the Committee to put to any representatives
of these schools giving evidence.
March 2008
11 Not printed. Back
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