We're already seeing some nonsense stories in the press about the mythical 'ban' on Christmas - and false claims from some that Christians are 'afraid' to express their views (despite what the Church's own research about this says). Worryingly the Prime Minister seemed to accept much of this when asked about it at Prime Minister's Questions this week, underlining the need for a strong, secular voice.
This is all part of an effort to retain old Christian privileges that disenfranchise and discriminate against so many, and to allow religious discrimination in businesses and workplaces – particularly against gay people. This has kept us busy in the media this week making sure a reasonable, secular argument is heard, putting across a common sense perspective and defending equality for all – your donations make this possible.
We are very pleased to welcome a major report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission today, which has rejected calls for a so-called 'conscience clause' which would have opened the door to discrimination in the workplace – protecting equality for all, in a blow to those Christian pressure groups that claim Christians face persecution in the UK.
If you're not a member already, and you want to support secularism in the UK you can join us today. This week we're supporting a campaign in Scotland to open a swimming pool on Sundays after the council refused to open it on the Sabbath. If you want to do your bit to challenge religious privilege, you can make a donation to stop sabbatarians forcing their fundamentalist views on an entire community.
News, Blogs & Opinion
Major new equality report rejects opening the door to religious discriminationNews | Fri, 2nd Dec 2016 The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a major new report on religion and belief in the workplace, with recommendations which have been strongly welcomed by the National Secular Society. The EHRC said that a "common sense approach to managing religion" in the workplace was needed and that existing legislation was "generally effective." There have been repeated calls from some evangelical Christian groups for a 'conscience clause' that would allow discrimination on religious grounds against gay people and would allow religious staff to decline to serve gay customers. The Commission rejected demands for a duty of so-called "reasonable accommodation" which would entitle employees to greater manifestation of religion in the workplace, and said that no such duty should be introduced. Employers could already choose to make accommodations for religious reasons, the EHRC said, provided this did not result in discrimination. The report said the law "should not be changed to permit individuals to opt out of work duties, to accord with their religious or non-religious beliefs, where this has an actual or potential detrimental or discriminatory impact on others." The law currently struck the right balance between protecting religious freedom, and upholding the right to non-discrimination, the EHRC said. The Commission concluded that there was therefore no need for a duty of "reasonable accommodation" and that the law should never be altered to "permit discriminatory service provision or to allow employment arrangements which could have a discriminatory impact on colleagues". There was not an unlimited right to manifest religious belief in all circumstances, the EHRC said, noting that the "right to manifest the religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance is qualified." The National Secular Society has long argued that a duty of "reasonable accommodation" would effectively unpick and undermine equality laws. Keith Porteous Wood, NSS executive director, said: "We very much welcome the acknowledgment that the legal framework relating to religion or belief should remain unchanged and that an additional duty of 'reasonable accommodation' should not be introduced. "The report's findings give lie to the claim that Christians are being unfairly treated and we very much hope it puts to bed the false narrative of Christian marginalisation in the workplace – a view the prime minister unwisely gave credence to in Parliament just this week. "The accompanying common sense guidance will provide clarity to both employers and employees seeking to negotiate the sometimes thorny issue of religion and belief in the workplace — and will hopefully make for happier and more harmonious workplaces." The Commission noted that some had argued "that any service provider where the owner has a religion or belief should be able to … restrict services on the basis of sexual orientation." It rejected this argument, saying that "Where a service is provided to the public, it must be provided to all on equal terms." David Isaac, Chair of the EHRC, said: "Our review finds that the law works well. There are a lot of myths that have arisen due to misunderstanding of legal requirements." The EHRC report was however critical of the extent to which faith schools can discriminate against teachers on religious grounds. The EHRC called for the appointment of teachers by faith schools to be "modelled on the current occupational requirement exception set out in the Equality Act", meaning a genuine occupational requirement would be needed before a school could discriminate when hiring staff. The law should be reviewed, the EHRC said, to ensure occupational requirements were genuine and that "teachers are able to pursue their careers without unjustifiable limitations being placed upon them. The report states: "The SSFA provisions allowing voluntary aided schools to consider the conduct of teachers appear to permit discrimination because of other protected characteristics, such as sex or sexual orientation discrimination. This is not permitted by the EU Employment Equality Directive Article 4 (2) which requires that 'difference of treatment' 'should not justify discrimination on another ground'." It also called for a review of the law in Scotland where a teacher wishing to be appointed to a post in a denominational school managed by an education authority has to be approved by representatives of the relevant church or denominational body as to their religious belief and character. This finding was welcomed by the NSS which has long argued that the degree of discrimination legally permitted against teachers is unreasonable and unacceptable and beyond what is permitted by the European Employment Directive. Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns director, said: "The degree to which discrimination against teachers is tolerated in state-funded faith schools would be totally unacceptable in all other areas of public life. "We urge the Government to take note of the recommendation to amend the law regarding employment of teachers to ensure that they cannot be unreasonably discriminated against on religious, or any other grounds, in faith schools. "There are a very limited number of roles for which one's personal religious beliefs or practices can legitimately and justifiably be considered a genuine occupational requirement. There is an increasingly limited pool of potential staff who follow a religion at all, and this is an added complication given significant long-term problems with recruitment and teacher numbers. "No teachers should be blocked from teaching positions in publicly-funded schools on the basis of their religious/non-religious beliefs, or practices." | |
Faith school expansion plans ‘will not improve standards or boost social mobility’News | Fri, 2nd Dec 2016 Government proposals to allow a new wave of fully religiously selective faith schools will not improve standards and is unlikely to boost social mobility, new research has warned. The Education Policy Institute research found that pupils in faith schools seem to do "little or no better than in non-faith schools" once attainment and progress figures are adjusted for disadvantage. At present, new faith schools, set up as free schools, can only accept 50% of pupils on the basis of faith. Under plans currently being consulted on by the Government, such schools will be allowed to apply a faith test to all places when oversubscribed. The move follows lobbying from the Catholic Church, which has refused to accept any limitations on faith-based admissions. The Government's green paper, Schools that Work for everyone, claims faith schools "consistently achieve higher performance in exam results" and that "pupils from poorer backgrounds perform better at faith schools than at other schools." However, the new research warns that while raw attainment and progress measures for faith schools suggested their pupils did better, the gains "largely disappear after adjusting for pupil characteristics". According to the Education Policy Institute, intake of pupils in faith schools are not, on average, representative of their local areas or of the national picture. The research concludes: 'Given that the average faith school admits fewer pupils from poor backgrounds than the average non faith school, there is a risk that increasing the numbers of faith schools would come at the price of increased social segregation, with a risk of lower social mobility." Stephen Evans, National Secular Society campaigns director, said: "It has long been known that a religious ethos is no magic formula when it comes to academic excellence. The perception of superiority comes from faith schools' unique ability to select on the basis of faith, which can also act as a form of socio-economic selection – and largely explains their apparent academic success. "Instead of dividing young people by faith, and sometimes ethnicity, education policy should seek to strengthen social cohesion by creating more places in inclusive schools where young people of all religion and belief backgrounds can be educated together." Key findings of the Education Policy Institute (EPI) research can be found here: http://epi.org.uk/report/faith-schools-pupil-performance-social-selection/ The full report - faith schools, pupil performance, and social selection - can be found here: You can respond to the Government consultation here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone/ | |
Thousands of missing children at risk of religious extremism in illegal faith schoolsNews | Wed, 30th Nov 2016 Research by the BBC has found that more than 30,000 children went missing from English and Welsh schools for "substantial" periods during the 2014-15 academic year. Stephen Evans, campaigns director of the National Secular Society, said that the figures revealed the "absolutely shocking extent to which children living in Britain are being denied their fundamental right to education". "The NSS has been calling on the Government to tackle this issue for many years, and action is now being taken. But it is clear that local authorities and police need to put aside sensitivity about religion and minority groups and act robustly to ensure that children's right to an education is protected. That should be the absolute priority." The figures were obtained from Freedom of Information requests to local education authorities, sent by the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme. The BBC reported that of the 30,000 children who had been absent for an extended period of time, almost 4,000 "could not be traced by the authorities." In Bradford alone 321 children could not be found, despite "extensive enquiries". There was of a total of 985 children in Bradford who were "missing" for at least part of the 2014-15 school year. Figures obtained by the National Secular Society reveal that in the last three years Bradford has launched just one investigation into a possible unregistered school in the borough. Earlier this year Bradford MP Naz Shah said that the council was in "denial" over the extent of illegal schooling in the area, and the BBC's figures show just how severe the problem is. At the same meeting in March, one Bradford councillor said the council was "not aware of any" unregistered and illegal schools. Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said officials were being "naïve". In less than five months Ofsted inspectors identified more than 100 illegal schools nationally. But education officials have said there may be as many as 35 unregistered Jewish schools in Hackney alone – more than the number of legally operating Jewish schools in the borough. A report recently published by the Board of Deputies and the Institute for Jewish Policy Research found that "half of strictly Orthodox boys aged 11-15 years do not appear in the strictly Orthodox school system." "We are not the first to identify this issue; indeed, the Department for Education is aware of it, and it has been covered by the national press," the report's authors noted. Mr Evans added: "It is vital that local authorities take the necessary action to identify illegal schools and register or close them. That will account for many of these 'missing' children's whereabouts. Tighter inspection and regulation of home schooling should also be considered. "All children living in the Britain should be entitled to a decent education whatever their parents' religious beliefs and that right must be protected." The National Children's Bureau told the BBC that the missing children could be at "serious risk" of religious extremism, FGM and forced marriage. The charity said that "Some councils do a fantastic job, but unfortunately some councils don't do a good enough job by any stretch of the imagination. "There shouldn't be one child in the country who isn't in school and can't be tracked, because of the potential risks. 'We know [of some] horrendous cases, of sexual exploitation. We also know about the correlation between missing children and the possibility that they may be involved in forced marriage, and of course, issues relating to young people's involvement in extremist activity." They also warned that the BBC's figures were probably underestimates. The Department for Education told the broadcaster that "local authorities and the police have clear powers to take action." | |
Help stop sabbatarians spoiling Sunday swimmingNews | Fri, 2nd Dec 2016 The National Secular Society is appealing to the Great British public to help a fundraising effort to open a swimming pool on the Isle of Lewis on Sundays, which councillors are currently refusing to open on the Sabbath. Local campaigners have started a fundraising drive to open the Ionad Spòrs Leòdhaisa Sports Centre, and are halfway to reaching their target of £11,400 – needed to fund a 12 month trial for Sunday opening. The local council is refusing to open the pool on Sundays, citing cost reasons, but they have rejected cost-saving suggestions like closing the pool during the week in little used hours to allow it to be open for three or four hours on a Sunday. The Council has faced numerous accusations of using the cost argument as a cover for religious objections to the pool opening on the Sabbath. Families into Sports for Health (FiSH) said their survey showed 71% of the sports centre's users were "supportive" of the proposal to open for some hours on Sundays. In September Elma Macleod of FiSH said, "Overwhelming evidence from the users of ISL now shows a strong demand for seven day opening amongst the users of the facility." Campaigners argue that religious considerations on the Council are overriding the wishes of local people and in October Councillor Neil Beaton urged his colleagues to distance themselves from a "stifling sanctimonious Sabbatarian shroud". Councillor Beaton wrote that "It was apparent from the e-mails and letters I received that preserving the Sabbath was the main objection" to Sunday opening, not the financial objections that were made. "Sadly there is a sanctimonious Sabbatarian shroud stifling parts of the Western Isles. This Council has to distance itself from these baleful influences and focus its attention on the wellbeing of its constituents." The National Secular Society has urged its supports to make a donation to ensure families on Lewis and Harris can go swimming on Sundays. NSS spokesperson for Scotland, Alistair McBay, said: "If some fundamentalist Christians wish to observe the Sabbath then of course they can do so according to their custom and ritual, but to force everyone else who does not share their beliefs to observe it too is not acceptable. The financial constraints advanced by the local council are simply a smokescreen for religious fundamentalism at work. The community on Lewis is not one homogenous group where everyone wants the same thing and lives by the same code, yet the Calvinist element on Lewis is determined to impose its unique brand of Christianity on everyone else and declare a part of the United Kingdom its own to govern according to its beliefs. We appeal to the council and fair-minded Brits of every hue to support these parents in their bid to pursue a healthy lifestyle for their families." There are less than two weeks left before the appeal expires, and FiSH need to raise £5,695.Click here to donate to the fundraising effort | |
Malaysian PM to ‘empower’ sharia courtsNews | Wed, 30th Nov 2016 Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced plans to strengthen the power of Islamic law in the country, in a bid to sure up support from Muslim voters. He told Malaysian TV that he wanted to "develop Islam" and grant more power to sharia courts. "Non-Muslims must understand that this is not about hudud [punishments under Islamic law] but about empowering the Sharia courts," he said. Two state governments currently punish apostasy with the death penalty, though it is not thought that these laws could currently be enforced. Many fear that a bill currently before the Malaysian parliament will impose strict sharia law on the country, which is a Muslim-majority nation but which has sizeable religious minorities. A private member's bill would implement "real" sharia punishments for 'crimes' including sex before marriage and drinking alcohol. At present penalties include six months in prison and a fine, but the bill would dramatically increase the severity of the punishments. The more severe punishments would include 100 lashes for unmarried Muslims who have sex, and between 40 and 80 lashes for drinking alcohol. The Malaysian media reported that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamid had offered government support for the measures. The Malay Mail Online said the Deputy Prime Minister viewed the legislation as an effort to "upgrade" Malaysia's sharia courts. The amendment to existing legislation would also allow sharia courts to hand out much longer sentences, of up to thirty years, and 100 lashes, and this is also being supported by the government. Razak has previously said "[Malaysia] will not tolerate any demands or right to apostasy by Muslims, or deny Muslims their right to be governed by Shariah Courts and neither will we allow Muslims to engage in LGBT activities." Last year's 'Freedom of Thought' report, produced by the International Humanist and Ethical Union, said that there "grave violations" of human rights in Malaysia, and that the country was "declining, with human rights including freedom of thought and expression under serious assault." Razak previously said that "humanism and secularism as well as liberalism" were a threat to Islam, and he has criticised human rights, saying they were "deviationist in that it glorifies the desires of man alone and rejects any value system that encompasses religious norms and etiquettes." IHEU reported that the Prime Minister had previously said "lesbians, gay, bisexuals, and transgenders" were "like the Islamic State". Reuters reported that the Prime Minister's recent comments about strengthening Islamic law were an attempt to "consolidate support of ethnic Malay Muslims at a party meeting this week, as frustration over graft and the economy cloud prospects for the next election." |
NSS Speaks Out
It has been a busy week for us, and we've been quoted on Theresa May's comments on faith, and the relationship between politics and religion in the Independent, Times, National¸ a Dutch newspaper and we spoke to Sky News, BBC 5 Live, BBC Oxford, BBC Kent, and Talk Radio. We were also quoted in Schools Week on faith schools and segregation, and our concern about 'Extremism Disruption Orders' was mentioned by Jewish News.
Quote of the Week
"This isn't about Christianity, this isn't about loving your neighbour. This isn't about looking after the poor. This isn't about the meek inheriting the earth. This isn't about being excellent to each other and seeking to do the right thing by those less fortunate than yourself. This is about B&B owners being able to turn away gay couples ... and this is about people being able to stand up in public and describe homosexuality as sinful without being told to sod off."
James O'Brien demolishes the claim that Christians are persecuted in the UK and 'afraid' to discuss their beliefs.
Essay of the Week
Like many Muslims, I am outraged when I see women wearing the full veil on British streets
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, i News.
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