MLA Letter: Inclusive education reform

Group of diverse children in non faith specific school uniforms

Inclusive education reform

Writing to your MLA can help to get vital education reforms on the political agenda and show this is an issue their constituents care about. We campaign in Stormont as an organisation, and your support will bolster our case. It is quick easy and helps your MLA represent you.

Tell your MLA that it's time to end religious privilege, discrimination, and control in schools.

Real people's personal stories help to show the significance of the issue to politicians and legislators. If you would like to contribute your own experiences and see other individuals' stories, please visit our supporter comment page.

Personalising your letter will make it more likely to have an impact.
It is the parliamentary protocol that MLAs respond to constituents only so do not forget to include your address and postcode.
Keep your thoughts brief. MLAs are busy and get a lot of correspondence.
If you are not happy with an initial result, make sure you follow this up with them
Use clear and simple language.

Name*:

Email*:

Postcode*:

Address:

Message*:

Dear {{name}}

I am writing to you as a constituent concerned about the future of inclusive education in Northern Ireland.

Education across NI features levels of religious privilege, discrimination, segregation, and control not seen anywhere else in the UK. While our citizens – regardless of their political or religious background - consistently rate education as a high priority in politics, and consistently favour reforms to make system more inclusive.

The NSS have written to the Independent Review of Education on these matters, and a webpage concisely setting out the key issues. I hope that you will check it out here: secularism.org.uk/education/NI-reform

I would be grateful to know what steps you will consider to:

- Roll back religious groups' control of schools by putting control of education in the hands of accountable organisations, rather than religious groups with vested interests, and reducing religious governance.

- Tackle the inefficiencies caused by religious segregation in schools and transitioning towards a fully integrated system.

- Protect teachers from discrimination by building on the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Act and removing other religious barriers to teacher mobility.

- Modernise education about worldviews, by ending the requirement for RE to promote a Christian ethos and replacing it with human rights compliant education about different beliefs.

- Ensure all aspects of the school day are suitable for all pupils, including by abolishing the requirement for daily acts of collective worship.

- Modernise relationships and sex education (RSE). RSE is currently based on schools’ religious ethos, is frequently delivered by external religious groups or not at all, or is biased and incomplete.

I know that I am not alone in feeling strongly about these matters, you can find many supporter of the campaign at: secularism.org.uk/education/NI-comments

I look forward to hearing your views on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

* Required Field

MLA Letter: Inclusive education reform

Inclusive education reform

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