HumanistLife

  • Home
  • About
  • Write for us
    • Suggested topics for contributions
    • Writing guide
  • Get in touch
  • Humanists UK
  • HumanistLife on Twitter

Archives for October 2012

Why we must keep campaigning against Collective Worship

October 17, 2012 by Richy Thompson

The British Humanist Association leads the national campaign against state-funded ‘faith’ schools, and employs the only dedicated campaigner – Richy Thompson – working on this and related issues such as RE, sex education, creationism and Collective Worship. We’re currently fundraising for our campaigner’s salary, so that we can continue to employ him for another year. Please donate today at http://www.justgiving.com/nofaithschools

We wanted to share with you an email Richy received this past year, highlighting the importance of what Richy does. This mother, as with many others, contacted us about Collective Worship. Currently, every single state school is legally required to have a daily act of collective worship. If the school is not a ‘faith’ school, this must be Christian in character. Here’s what the mother told Richy:

After researching and thinking it over for several years, I informed the Head of my children’s school that I was removing them from collective worship. She said she completely understood and agreed to it. She then went on to ask what religion I was – ‘Is it Christian Science, or something like that?’ I had mentioned in the past that I am a scientist. I replied, ‘No. I am an atheist.’ She appeared a little put out.

At the end of year service, not attended by my children, the school handed out certificates for completion of their first year at school. My daughter was supposed to get hers later at the class picnic. That evening she burst into tears and said that as she had not gone to the service, she did not get her certificate. My daughter is 5 years old. It was then the summer holidays so I had no way of complaining and thought I would see if the next year started well; it could have been an innocent over sight. It is now 3 days into the start of the school year and my children have just told me that they are still going to assembly every day.

Do you have any suggestions as to where I go from here? I do not want an ugly confrontation at school but I also believe that if I was the follower of ANY religion, that this would not be happening to me; I would be protected by law. As I am without a religion, I do not seem to have any rights over my children’s spiritual well being.

Thank you.

This is clearly a very distressing situation, and highlights a common issue with Collective Worship: that opt-outs are inadequate because the child typically has to sit out in the hallway or alone in the library, singled out from their peers, and misses out on school notices or other inclusive aspects such as certificates.

The alternative – not opting out – can all too often be just as bad. Last year, for example, we highlighted a teacher telling an eight-year-old he is a Christian because he celebrates Christmas; the common issue of an evangelical group proselytising in a school; and a girl being traumatised by Collective Worship due to age-inappropriate tales of a god who killed first born children, turned rivers into blood and murdered millions in floods – ultimately being unable to sleep at night.

We need to reform this law, and replace the current legislation with the requirement to hold assemblies inclusive to all children, regardless of religion or belief. This is something we have been working hard on, and we have real plans to develop a wider campaign around this issue, drawing in broader support for reform.

But this requires your support, so that we can continue to employ Richy so that he can work on this issue. Please donate to his salary at http://www.justgiving.com/nofaithschools


 

Filed Under: Humanism

About HumanistLife

Your source for opinion and commentary with a humanist perspective.

Brought to you by Humanists UK.

Please note that views expressed in blogs do not necessarily represent the views of Humanists UK.

Humanists UK on Facebook

Humanists UK on Facebook

Recent Posts

  • Discussing atheism in highly religious countries
  • Seven reasons why this year’s Easter egg debacle was ridiculous
  • The people who keep us safe
  • Highlights from Young Humanists’ ‘ask me anything’ session with the co-founder of Faith to Faithless
  • The BHA isn’t always thought of for its campaigning on Relationships and Sex Education, but it should be

Recent Comments

  • Simmo on Discussing atheism in highly religious countries
  • Alex Sinclair Lack on Discussing atheism in highly religious countries
  • Alex Sinclair Lack on Discussing atheism in highly religious countries
  • Diana on Discussing atheism in highly religious countries
  • Juliet on Discussing atheism in highly religious countries

Archives

  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • October 2012
  • June 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009

Copyright © 2015 British Humanist Association