Ian Scott of Hutchesons' Grammar School in Glasgow asked to opt out of the school's weekly religious assembly, but was refused in his request. As an atheist Scott asked that he be allowed the exemption along the lines of the school's Muslim and Jewish pupils, who do not have to attend, and for whom separate provisions are made.
The school said that the aim was to foster a sense of community, but segregating children by their parents' religion, if only once week, runs counter to this. As a former pupil at a CofE school I saw, instead, fostered only exclusion, between the Muslim pupils, who sat alone in the school lobby during assembly, and the rest who duly assembled inside the hall. Hutchesons' weekly secular assembly - good indeed that they do this already - is surely the more inclusive approach.
The Humanist Society of Scotland is supporting his case and is holding a special meeting this Sunday 9th August, where Scott has been asked to speak, on the rights of pupils to opt out of religious observance and religious education.
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