Category Archives: News and opinion

Ep 28: RE in Wales: a chance for fundamental change

Discussion, Interviews, News and opinion, , ,

How much progress will the Welsh government make with its proposed reforms to RE? In this episode, Emma Park speaks to Stephen Evans, CEO of the NSS, and Alastair Lichten, head of education, for an update.

Encouragingly the subject’s name is to be changed to ‘Religion, Values and Ethics’, to reflect a more pluralistic and critical approach. But the proposed abolition of parents’ right to withdraw their children is more concerning. Faith schools will still be able to teach RVE ‘in line with the tenets of their faith’, but will be obliged to offer a secular alternative if parents expressly choose it.

Do these proposals go far enough? And should religious education continue to be a separate subject that is compulsory for all students up until 16? Join Emma and her guests for comment and analysis.

Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD2syE26heQ&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

NSS response to RVE proposals in Wales: https://www.secularism.org.uk/21st-century-re-for-all/rve-wales.html

Will Wales lead the way in reforming RE? – Stephen Evans, 2 June 2020: https://medium.com/@stephen.evans_42820/will-wales-lead-the-way-in-reforming-re-415cf3049fa6

Should lessons on sex and religion take parents’ wishes into account? –– Emma Park, 12 March 2020: https://life.spectator.co.uk/articles/should-lessons-on-sex-and-religion-take-parents-wishes-into-account/

NSS podcast, Episode 17: RE in Wales: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/10/ep-17-thought-for-the-day-re-in-wales

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 22: Bishops in the House of Lords – Dick Taverne interview

Interviews, News and opinion, , , , , , ,

Is it time to remove Church of England bishops’ automatic right to sit in the House of Lords? Liberal Democrat peer Dick Taverne is introducing a private members’ bill – drafted with the NSS’s assistance – to do just that.

Emma Park travels to Westminster to interview Dick about why it’s time to abolish the bishops’ bench and reform the Lords, why constitutional reforms can take such a long time, and why the UK is still not a secular country.

Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark

Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts

Notes

Peer proposes bill to abolish bishops’ bench in House of Lords

The NSS campaign to separate church and state

Public want religion kept out of politics – The Times

‘House of Lords (Removal of Bishops) Bill’ in the House of Lords ballot

Dick Taverne, Baron Taverne, QC

Odo, Bishop of Bayeux

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Ep 21: Integrated education in Northern Ireland – interview with the Integrated Education Fund

Interviews, News and opinion, , ,

In this episode, Emma Park speaks with Maddy Bridgman and Sam Fitzsimmons of the Integrated Education Fund, a charity that supports inclusive, integrated education (not segregated into de facto Protestant and Catholic schools) in Northern Ireland.

Maddy and Sam discuss the IEF’s campaign to support an integrated school system, and outline some of the difficulties the IEF has faced, both political, administrative and structural.

They also discuss positive signs that school students who attend integrated schools are benefiting from the tolerant and inclusive ethos that these schools promote.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/edrVKRsXwWo

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

Education in NI shouldn’t be a tug of war between religious interests

https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2019/10/education-in-ni-shouldnt-be-a-tug-of-war-between-religious-interests

Research reveals impact of religious discrimination on NI teachers

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/05/research-reveals-impact-of-religious-discrimination-on-ni-teachers

NSS calls for school integration in NI amid religious polarisation

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2018/04/nss-calls-for-school-integration-in-ni-amid-religious-polarisation

Integrated Education Fund

https://www.ief.org.uk

Integrate My School campaign

https://www.integratemyschool.com

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 20: Lee and Lizanne Harris – compulsory worship

Interviews, News and opinion, , ,

In this episode, Emma Park speaks with Lee and Lizanne Harris about their experience of the collective worship requirement in schools.

The Harrises recently initiated judicial review proceedings against the primary school attended by their children. They challenged its decision to provide no alternative to a proselytising Christian assembly once a week conducted by representatives of the local C of E church.

Lee and Lizanne discuss their children’s experiences of these assemblies, what happened when they withdrew them, and the school’s failure to provide a secular alternative until they were forced to by the threat of legal proceedings.

The Harrises’ case may encourage other parents to speak up about concerns that their children will be indoctrinated if they participate in religious assemblies, and excluded from school life if they do not.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Oh0Sv2Je824

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

Lee Harris’s 2018 blog for the NSS

https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2018/12/my-childrens-school-has-become-christian-by-default

C of E trust to introduce alternative to worship after legal challenge

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/11/coe-trust-to-introduce-alternative-to-worship-after-legal-challenge

More information and guidance from the NSS on collective worship: https://www.secularism.org.uk/end-compulsory-worship/

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 18: Remembrance Day | Clerical Abuse

News and opinion, , , , ,

In this week’s episode, Emma Park is joined by the NSS’s Megan Manson and Chris Sloggett to discuss the Church of England’s privileged role in Remembrance Sunday. Is it right that the church should lead the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph? Does the C of E represent modern Britain? Will Britain continue to remember if the ritual of remembrance is tied up with religion?

Emma then speaks to Keith Porteous Wood, president of the NSS, about the society’s campaign to expose institutional abuse in the Catholic Church. Is the Vatican making a genuine effort to tackle clerical abuse? If not, why not? And how far is similar abuse a problem in the Church of England and other religious organisations?

Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG8uFzesJOQ&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

The Church of England’s privileged role in Remembrance Sunday and other ceremonies – NSS view

https://www.secularism.org.uk/ceremonies/

‘Remembrance Sunday should not be dominated by religion’ – Dan Snow

https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2014/11/remembrance-sunday-should-not-be-dominated-by-religion

The Cenotaph

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/104

‘By the Grace of God’ shows the need to hold the Catholic Church accountable on child abuse

https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2019/10/by-the-grace-of-god-shows-the-need-to-hold-the-catholic-church-accountable-on-child-abuse

The NSS’s submission to the UN Human Rights Council, 18th September 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ysn0r7PA0&feature=youtu.be

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 17: Thought for the Day | RE in Wales

News and opinion, , , , , , ,

In this week’s episode, Emma Park is joined by Chris Sloggett and Helen Nicholls to discuss whether BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day should still be exclusively for “speakers from the world’s major faiths”. John Humphrys, former presenter of the Today programme in which Thought for the Day is featured, recently criticised it as ‘discriminatory’.

Emma also speaks to Stephen Evans and Alastair Lichten about a consultation on the reform of sex and religious education launched by the Welsh government this month. Proposals include making both subjects compulsory for all children regardless of their parents’ beliefs; and changing their names, with sex education being replaced by ‘Relationships and Sexuality Education’, and RE by ‘Religions and Worldviews’.

Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Z_Gey3ht8&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

Reform Thought for the Day: the NSS’s position

https://www.secularism.org.uk/thought-for-the-day/

Thought for the Day – BBC Radio 4

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00szxv6

John Humphrys criticises Thought for the Day

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/10/scrap-discriminatory-thought-for-the-day-says-former-presenter/

Welsh government considers ending the right to withdraw from RE and RSE: the NSS’s position

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/10/welsh-government-considers-ending-right-to-withdraw-from-re-and-rse

‘Ensuring access to the full curriculum’: the Welsh government’s consultation

https://gov.wales/ensuring-access-full-curriculum

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 16: Operation Christmas Child | Faith schools

News and opinion, , , , , , ,

In this week’s episode, Emma Park speaks to Megan Manson about Operation Christmas Child, a programme that encourages schoolchildren and youth groups around the UK to send Christmas shoeboxes to children in developing countries. Those sending the shoeboxes may not be aware that they are being used as part of a conversion drive by an evangelical Christian charity, Samaritan’s Purse. The case raises the question of whether ‘the advancement of religion’ should still be a charitable purpose.

Emma then speaks to Alastair Lichten about the NSS’s revelation that 20,000 children have been assigned to faith schools in the state sector this year despite their parents opting for a non-faith school as their first choice.

The episode also features highlights from our 2019 Bradlaugh Lecture. Assistant head Andrew Moffat defended inclusive education in his talk ‘No Outsiders: Reclaiming Radical Ideas in Schools’.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIQHMg3_wsY&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

Does Operation Christmas Child benefit the public?

https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2019/09/operation-christmas-child-does-its-charity-benefit-the-public

Samaritan’s Purse Mission Statement

https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/who-we-are/

Charities Act 2011, section 3: List of charitable purposes

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/25/section/3

Complete videos of the NSS’s Bradlaugh Lectures

https://www.secularism.org.uk/bradlaugh-lecture.html/

20,000 children sent to faith schools against parental preferences in 2019

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/09/20000-children-sent-to-faith-schools-against-parental-preferences

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 14: End compulsory worship | Education update

News and opinion, ,

In this episode, Emma Park speaks to the NSS’s Head of Education, Alastair Lichten, about the Society’s ongoing campaign against collective worship in schools. This is followed by a brief update on the NSS’s other campaigns in education, and its new resource for schools, Exploring Secularism.

It is, surprisingly, still a legal requirement in England and Wales that state schools practise some form of collective religious worship every day. Emma and Alastair discuss what the law is, how it is put into practice by different schools, the impact which it has on parents and children who do not want to participate, and what the NSS is doing to change the situation.

Our apologies for some handling and background noise on this episode. We hope to have it sorted out by the next recording.

Follow Emma Park on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q_CJMDoR5I&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

The NSS’s campaign against compulsory collective worship in schools, with some statistics:

https://www.secularism.org.uk/end-compulsory-worship/

The NSS’s proposal for inclusive secular assemblies without an element of directed worship:

https://www.secularism.org.uk/end-compulsory-worship/inclusive-secular-assemblies-and.html

Information about the NSS’s annual Bradlaugh Lecture:

https://www.secularism.org.uk/bradlaugh-lecture.html

The NSS’s Autumn Bulletin:

https://www.secularism.org.uk/publications.html?tag=NSS+Bulletin&year=&submit=Search

Exploring Secularism – a new resource for schools developed by the NSS:

https://exploringsecularism.org

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today:

https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

Support the podcast, share with a friend and leave a five star review everywhere you can.

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Ep 13: Religious appointees | Campaigning roundup

News and opinion, , , , , ,

Chris Sloggett spoke to NSS head of education Alastair Lichten about our new report Religious Reps: Unrepresentative, Unnecessary and Unjustified. The report makes the case for ending the requirement on all Scottish local authorities to include religious appointees on their education committees. They discussed the report’s findings and recommendations and next steps for the campaign.

Campaigns officer Megan Manson also joined to discuss work the NSS has been doing on vaccinations, blasphemy laws and Jewish schools which severely restrict their families’ private lives.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlAIuFqIeF8&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

End religious appointees on Scottish education committees, NSS says https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/08/end-religious-appointees-on-scottish-education-committees-nss-says

Public Health England changes vaccination advice after NSS lobbying https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/08/public-health-england-changes-vaccination-advice-after-nss-lobbying

Jewish school may severely restrict families’ IT use, says DfE https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/08/jewish-school-may-severely-restrict-families-it-use-says-dfe

NSS urges government to review its language on blasphemy laws https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/08/nss-urges-government-to-review-its-language-on-blasphemy-laws

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 12: Circumcision | No Outsiders

Discussion, News and opinion, , , , , , , ,

Chris Sloggett spoke to NSS chief executive Stephen Evans and campaigns officer Megan Manson about the recent BBC documentary ‘A cut too far?’ and the ethics of ritual infant male circumcision. Did the documentary go far enough and is the tide turning against this abusive practice? Also in this episode our head of education Alastair Lichten spoke with Andrew Moffat, creator of the inclusive education resource ‘No Outsiders’ and speaker at our upcoming Bradlaugh Lecture.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jKa0ED12Y8&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

Bradlaugh Lecture 2019 | No Outsiders: Reclaiming Radical Ideas in Schools https://www.secularism.org.uk/no-outsiders.html

End non-consensual religious surgery https://www.secularism.org.uk/religious-surgery/

A Cut Too Far? Male Circumcision https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006wj8

Male circumcision needs to be seen as barbaric and unnecessary – just like female genital mutilation https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/male-circumcision-fgm-baby-child-abuse-body-rights-medical-hygiene-a9011896.html

Let’s face facts: FGM has something to do with religion https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2019/03/lets-face-facts-genital-cutting-has-something-to-do-with-religion/

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today https://www.secularism.org.uk/join

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