Labour Humanists

Letter to Gordon Brown

Labour Humanists recently wrote to Gordon Brown and Ed Balls to express our concern over the Government's failure to ensure that a hindrance to humanists' participation on SACREs be lifted in new guidance. The Tory introduction of Circular 1/94 barred full membership to humanists on SACREs, the local authority committees that oversee RE in community schools.

 

You can see our letter to the PM below. The failure to update this guidance is at odds with the inclusion of Humanism in the RE syllabus - on this Government's advice.

 

Labour Humanists have also voiced our concerns about this matter to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, highlighting this present discrepancy.

 

For more information on the British Humanist Association's education work please see here.

 

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Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP

10 Downing Street

London SW1A 2AA

                                                                                            20th July 2009

 

Dear Gordon

 

Labour Humanists are very disappointed and concerned about the failure of the new draft guidance on Religious Education published by the DCSF on 30th April to resolve the longstanding injustice of discrimination against humanists in this area.

 

As you know, it was a Conservative government in 1994 that issued guidance advising that humanists be prohibited from full membership of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs – the local authority committees that oversee RE in community schools) and Agreed Syllabus Conferences (ASCs – the committees that write the RE syllabus every five years for community schools). As a result, many humanists who had given years of service were either thrown off SACREs or demoted to a non-voting, co-opted membership. In the following years, Labour people were in the forefront of opposing this injustice and happily, since 1998 with the passing of the Human Rights Act, humanists have begun to find their place as full members again on SACREs and ASCs. The inclusion of Humanism for study in the non-statutory framework for RE gave a further boost to inclusivity in the subject, but the fact that Circular 1/94 remained in force meant that many SACREs and ASCs still felt unable to appoint humanists as members of SACREs and ASCs, and also gave cover to those who, for reasons of prejudice, did not wish to do so.

 

We understand (though we regret) the decision not to review the primary legislation on RE which continues to cause so many problems in this subject, but when the review of Circular 1/94 was initially announced, we confidently expected that the matter of humanists on SACREs and ASCs would be resolved by reference to the Human Rights Act, which clearly allows – even mandates – an  interpretation of the law on membership of SACREs (which is given in the law as representatives of ‘religions’) to read ‘religions and beliefs’ and include humanists.

 

Sadly, your department has not taken this course.  As a result, we are left with a situation where government advises that syllabuses should include Humanism, but bars humanists from sitting on the committees that write the syllabus and oversee its delivery. Under the present system, even very small religions such as paganism or scientology would have a right to site on SACREs – but not representatives of significant worldviews that are actually studied in RE, such as humanists.

 

As a matter of urgency, we would ask you to correct this great injustice, which will bring a new threat to the position of non-religious beliefs in RE, to the detriment of young people in our schools. We would urge you to have the inclusion of humanists as of right on SACREs and ASCs written into the new guidance, and if that is not possible, then not to issue the guidance but re-consider the decision not to review the primary legislation on RE. The opportunity to correct longstanding injustices such as this does not come frequently enough to miss.

 

We believe that this letter reflects a view shared by very many interested people. We would encourage you to meet with Labour Humanists or the British Humanist Association to discuss this further.

 

Adam Harrison 

                                                                          

Secretary, Labour Humanists                                                              

Conference News/No Prayer Breakfast

Although at 8am on a Sunday morning, our joint "No Prayer Breakfast" with the BHA was completely full – and not just because of the offer of 'tea, coffee and secular pastries'! Chaired by Angela Eagle MP, our expert panel of BHA President Polly Toynbee, Kelvin Hopkins MP and Andrew Copson gave optimistic and personal perspectives on Humanism as a progressive force for equality and justice and made clear the need for a secular approach to public services. And we had a fantastic audience as well who took part in the Q&A, including the ATL education union President and the Mayor of Hackney. Following our success, we're certainly hoping that we'll now be able to host an annual "No Prayer Breakfast" at the Party conference!

Labour Humanists warn Government on opening up welfare to religious groups

Labour Humanists recognise the desire on the part of the Government to raise standards of service delivery and to make Britain a world leader in welfare provision.

Within this, however, we would warn against the continued drive for religious organisations to take on a greater share of welfare services. Such organisations are currently exempt from sexual orientation equality legislation and are able to discriminate on the grounds of religion or belief. The delivery of welfare services by groups whose primary interest is not the delivery of those services, but rather the promotion of a particular religion, do not accord with the principles of free and fair access to all members of society.

We therefore call upon the Government to ensure these principles will not be compromised. We urge it to ensure our welfare system retains its secular and inclusive character, and take steps as a matter of urgency to remove the rights of religious groupings to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation and religion or belief.

The BHA’s report Quality and Equality: Human Rights, Public Services and Religious Organisations, tackles the issues touched upon above, and is available here: http://tinyurl.com/25w2hb

   

Labour Humanists: ‘faith’ schools triply divisive

It has long been clear that ‘faith’ schools serve to not only segregate children by their parents’ religions but also as a large side-effect of this to segregate them by race.

Research at the Institute of Education now reveals that which has been tacitly understood for many years, that religious schools’ intakes are indeed biased towards middle-class pupils.

With this triple-whammy of segregation by religion, race and social class, we again ask the Government to rethink its approach to the matter of ‘faith’ schools, and to community cohesion more broadly.

Labour Humanists call upon ministers at the very least to prohibit selection of pupils on religious grounds in all state-funded schools.

The Labour Government should also take note of the debilitating effect its education stance has on its core vote. Only when Labour starts to make genuine moves towards dismantling this modern-day segregation will beleaguered members and supporters have something to cheer the government on with as it goes into the fight for a fourth term.

Labour Humanists reject Archbishop sharia stance and give cautious welcome to Government response

Labour Humanists reject the Archbishop of Canterbury's view that some elements of sharia law should, and will, be incorporated into British law. The idea that the law should itself change to accommodate alternative allegiances of religious minorities is unacceptable not only to those professing no religion but to many religious believers too.

The Government's robust response is to be welcomed, but, in the light of the comments, Labour Humanists urge a thoroughgoing rethink of its continued support for 'faith' schools. Their existence strengthens the case for modern-day segregation in other spheres of society: the Government’s belief that ‘faith’ schools will clear the path to social cohesion is strongly echoed in the Archbishop’s notion that a diversity of legal systems will do the same. Separation on the grounds of religion, in any walk of life, is a recipe only for division, not cohesion.

The British Humanist Association also said that “Singling out certain groups for separate treatment will also surely undermine work towards good relations and social cohesion rather than assist it.” The BHA was also active internationally in preventing the (successful) campaign to prevent the introduction of sharia family law in Canada. Labour Humanists urge all members and other humanist groups to remain similarly active.

For more information, please get in touch with Adam Harrison at secretary@labourhumanists.org.uk

Faith Schools and Selection

Labour Humanists exec member has just had this letter published in The Times:

Sir, The tone and content of your leading article ("School for scandal",
Jan 12) were strangely at odds with the facts presented on the front page
("Backlash as more claim religion to get place in top schools", Jan 12).

There is a plenty of statistical research published by the British Humanist
Association and others showing that religious schools perform no better
than non-religious schools when key poverty indicators such as free school
meals are taken into account. In the unlikely event that religious schools
have access to some great educational secret, let them share this with all
schools. Anecdotal evidence from Ofsted inspectors suggests that, far from
being beacons of educational excellence, many of these schools are merely
riding on the coat-tails of middle-class extracurricular activities.

Children are born neither religious nor political. No one would seriously
consider establishing Conservative or vegetarian schools. Society
acknowledges that political institutions want control in order to deliver
the type of world that they believe in. Religious institutions are no
different, and their privileged access to young minds distorts current and
future society in a way that is no longer tolerable or desirable.

Dr Julia Mundy
Labour Humanists

Labour Humanists debate faith based welfare

Labour Humanists hosted another successful event in the House of Commons, on the hot topic of 'faith-based welfare'.

Speaking were the BHA's Naomi Phillips, the TUC's Richard Exell and Observer columnist Nick Cohen. The event gave the chance to Labour Humanist members and interested observers to cast an eye over the Government's activities in this arena and consider what humanists can do to effect change.

Naomi Phillips spoke about the BHA's new report, Quality and Equality which highlights the continuing desire of the British population for public services to remain secular, the lack of evidence to show that religious organisations provide better services, and the risk of more inequality and discrimination that goes hand-in-hand with increasing contracting out of public services to such groups.

Nick Cohen traced the history of the group identity politics that characterises 21st century Britain, and underlined the threat of sectarianism inherent in such a model. As people of the Left and humanists, he said, we should concentrate not on these things that divide us, but those that unite us. Emphasis on creed and race - ancient causes of war, bigotry and aggression - will only exacerbate divisions.

Meanwhile, Richard Exell highlighted the timeliness of the debate as the Government embarks on what could form the constitutional settlement for the next century. To illustrate, as the Department for Work and Pensions has drawn its ideas from the USA, it has failed to consider the separation of Church and State that obtains there and the particular provisions for alternative welfare arrangements in place there - provisions which have not been installed here. Without acting now we could end up with at best a wholly unsatisfactory arrangement and at worst one which actively partitions communities and instils division...

Questions came flooding in from the members of the audience keen to discuss the issues, ranging from the extent to which employers should be able to demand certain beliefs as prerequisite, to enquiring as to the best ways to confront the sometime 'unholy' alliance of group identity politics and 'progressives' who view the new arrangements as part of the 'choice' agenda.

And as always, the lively discussion was continued with a talk in the pub afterwards!

An Opportunity to Debate "faith based" Public Services

Labour Humanists are pleased to announce that Naomi Phillips of the BHA, Richard Exell of the TUC and Nick Cohen of The Observer will be speaking on the growing place of 'faith-based' public service providers in the UK.

 

This exciting line-up is coming together at a time when the Government is seeking to increase the role that religious organisations play in providing public services, thus putting at risk the fair and inclusive nature these services have hitherto been famed for.

 

This coincides with the BHA's report into the issue released on the day before this event.

 

As Labour people and humanists, now is the time to oppose this development and voice our concern, so please come to Committee Room 14 in the House of Commons at 7pm Thursday 29th November to hear our speakers and make your own contributions.

 

For more information please get in touch with Adam Harrison or for information on the BHA's report please contact Naomi Phillips at naomi@humanism.org.uk

Labour Humanist Patrons

The Labour Humanists’ patrons are Lord Kinnock, and Angela Eagle MP.

Lord Kinnock is a former Leader of the Labour party (1983-92), and was a European Union Commissioner(1995-2004). He is one of the party's great orators and ardent supporters of humanism within Labour.

Angela Eagle is MP for Wallasey and is currently Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. She was a strong and vocal opponent of the threat to exempt Catholic adoption agencies from the requirement to provide adoption services on a non-discriminatory basis.

Fringe Report: Labour Humanists' reception

Labour Humanists' first appearance at Labour conference saw writer and philosopher AC Grayling speak to a fringe reception of Labour Humanist members, conference delegates, and a strong showing from the Dorset Humanists.

Professor Grayling, who is also a distinguished supporter of the BHA, spoke on the subject of civil liberties in modern Britain and the need to defend the progressive heritage the country has enjoyed. A lively debate followed, the crowd seizing the chance to ask questions and afterwards meet and socialise with fellow Labour humanists over a glass of bucks fizz.

The British Humanist Association was also on hand to speak with delegates.Their stall in the conference zone was manned at various intervals by a number of eager Labour Humanists, which undoubtedly drew new members into both the Labour Humanist and BHA fold. Alongside a raft of new members we also saw something of a run on our specially-minted Labour Humanist badges, later often spotted being worn by delegates about conference.

We are already in full swing planning for next year's conference and welcome any assistance and ideas members can offer.

Adam Harrison