National Secular Society

"Schools are in the business of education, not indoctrination. If RE us to be taught in schools, it should be taught in an unbiased academic way."

James from Bushy

"Schools are for education not indoctrination. Schools should help people understand each other, not drive them apart or discriminate against some children on the basis of religion. No discrimination and no proselytizing would be a good manifesto pledge."

A supporter from Carlisle

"RE should be descriptive and not normative. That is, our children should be educated in the belief structures and ethical approaches of the major religions, without being taught that any one of them is actually true. The teaching should include humanism. To allow local organisations, or even schools, to dictate religious teaching will literally foster parochialism. It will invite religious segregation and ignorance of other religious and non-religious people."

John from Crosthwaite

"Partisan religion has no role in education. If it must be taught it should be in a manner that indicates the variety and plurality of belief and non-belief."

A supporter from Leicester

"No school - especially those receiving funding from the state - should be permitted to teach about religion from their own exclusive viewpoint and the law should reflect this."

Martin from London

"National Curriculum should include study of diverse belief systems, philosophy, critical thinking - replacing partisan religious education."

Rod from Sevenoaks

"My child has been taught Christian doctrine as fact in RE. He was 5 years old and at a community school. It is especially important that RE subject leaders and teachers, often interested in the subject because of their own faith, understand - very clearly - that it is not an opportunity to invite others to share their faith."

Joe from Ringwood

"I've already excused my children from GCSE RE because the RE teachers at my kids' school consistently set work presupposing a belief in God and invite Evangelical locals to the school to teach literal interpretations of the Bible. This has to stop."

A supporter from Burscough

"I'm a lead RE teacher and a member of a SACRE. I can see that provision for the subject varies widely nationally and that faith groups have vested interests in forms of RE that are not broad and balanced. The ability for parents to withdraw their children is detrimental to the subject, but necessary while faith groups can be allowed to teach a biased curriculum."

A supporter from Bristol

"Because allowing local groups to determine the syllabus is unworkable. Most lack the knowledge and pedagogic skills (except the teachers) to be able to make any sensible recommendations. Most SACREs are heavily resistant to any form of secular or non-religous input."

John from Watford

"As a parent of 2 Primary and Secondary school age children i want to ensure they receive balanced and useful education about world religions. RE should not be used as a useful proselytizing tool for any religious group."

A supporter from Tongham

"A SACRE in each authority is an inconsistent and inappropriate way of addressing the need to education about religion rather than promote a religion under the pretence of teaching religion. We have allowed evangelism to be practiced under the pretence of teaching. Religion should be studied by all as part of education but there should be no promotion of any religion in any school. It is a personal decision and for the home not the school."

A supporter from Deddington

"It makes no sense that a subject as important as RE isn't on the national curriculum. It's important to remain as far removed from indoctrination as possible."

Lauren

"I'm having to send my daughter to a school outwith our catchment because our local school's assemblies are ALL run by the free church minister. I have also been told by other parents of children coming home crying by because their families were going to 'burn in hell' for not going to the local church."

Claire

"I am an RE teacher who believes that the inconsistencies in the teaching of RE across the country need to stop. The curriculum should be the same in faith schools as well"

Hannah from Redditch

"Because I want my children to be able to make their own minds up about whether to have any religious beliefs, not be indoncrinated at school. RE needs to be standardised and all faiths taught about, and none of them as fact."

Rebecca from Sleaford