Scotland: “No plans” to end religious committee representatives

Posted: Wed, 21st Sep 2022

Scotland: “No plans” to end religious committee representatives

Scotland's Education Secretary has said there are "no plans" to end places for religious appointees on education committees.

Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP said the requirement for local authorities in Scotland to appoint religious representatives would continue, in response to a letter sent by the National Secular Society and the Edinburgh Secular Society in August calling for an end to the process.

In her reply earlier this month, she said the presence of "significant numbers of denominational schools" in Scotland and the "requirement to provide Religious Education" means there "continues to be a role for religious groups in decision making for denominational and non-denominational schools alike".

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 obliges local authorities in Scotland to appoint three religious representatives to their education committees, at least one of whom must be appointed by the Roman Catholic Church and one by the Protestant Church of Scotland.

Such representatives have voting privileges in most councils, enabling them to influence local education policies affecting both faith and non-faith schools. They are generally the only unelected members granted such entitlements.

The letter from the NSS was sent following a meeting of Shetland Islands Council where several members expressed dissatisfaction at being required to appoint a religious representative to the authority's education committee, with councillors describing the situation as both "unconstitutional and undemocratic" and "ridiculous in the 21st century".

Similar concerns regarding the legislation have been raised by councillors at other Scottish local authorities, with Perth and Kinross council voting in 2019 to remove religious representatives' voting privilege after the Scottish Government clarified such entitlements were not legal requirements. Following the statement, the NSS wrote to all 32 Scottish councils asking them to follow suit.

NSS: Religious representatives create "a hierarchy of inequity"

Jack Rivington, Campaigns Officer at the NSS, said: "The Scottish Government's response is deeply unsatisfactory.

"Automatically appointing religious representatives to education committees runs totally contrary to the fundamental principles of our democratic system, as well as enabling undue religious influence over the education of Scottish children.

"Additionally, preferential treatment given to two religions in particular creates a hierarchy of inequity and undermines inclusivity.

"Religious people have a right to express their views on education policy, but those views must proceed through the standard democratic process instead of being given special privileges and automatic access. This is also the position increasingly taken by Scottish local authorities.

"Instead of ignoring the issue, the Scottish Government should listen to these concerns and review this outdated piece of legislation. Denominational schools and religious education should not be used as justification to continue this anachronistic requirement – instead, Scotland should work towards ensuring its whole education system is inclusive, secular and free from religious control."

Remove religious reps

Scottish law requires education committees to include three religious appointees. Help us change that.

Tags: Faith schools