Newsline 4 October 2013

Newsline 4 October 2013

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News, Blogs & Opinion

BBC Trust rejects Thought for the Day bias complaint

News | Wed, 2nd Oct 2013

The BBC Trust has rejected a complaint of bias from the National Secular Society concerning a Thought for the Day slot broadcast immediately after its successful High Court challenge to prayers during council meetings.

The slot, broadcast on 14 February 2012 and delivered by the crossbench peer Lord Singh, portrayed the legal action as an attempt to impose secularist "beliefs and prejudices on others". The ruling and subsequent response from senior Government figures and political commentators made the subject matter a highly topical and controversial issue.

The NSS complaint argued that the three-minute broadcast was used to deliver biased commentary on a topical political controversy, without any right to reply or attempt to provide due impartiality.

Following a previous challenge to Thought for the Day from the NSS In 2009, the BBC said: "Whilst it may be acceptable for Thought for the Day contributors to reflect on topical issues, where a position is given on a controversial subject then it is probable that due impartiality will require that an appropriate balance is achieved."

Rejecting the latest complaint, the BBC Trust conceded that Lord Singh's broadcast dealt with a controversial subject, but refuted the claim of bias, saying it was satisfied that across BBC output a wide range of significant views and perspectives had been given to the subject of the High Court ruling.

The Trust claimed the Today Programme in which the slot had been broadcast fulfilled the impartiality requirements by featuring an extensive discussion with Richard Dawkins and an interview with the Minister for Faith and Communities, Baroness Warsi.

Stephen Evans, National Secular Society campaigns manager, said: "The idea that the inclusion of a notable atheist speaking on an entirely different subject matter, and an interview with Baroness Warsi, where she warned of the 'marginalisation of religion' somehow fulfilled the show's impartiality requirements is absurd.

"Lord Singh was permitted to use the slot to attack as 'intolerant', a legal challenge that successfully sought to establish that council meetings should be conducted in a manner equally welcoming to all councillors, regardless of their religious beliefs or lack of belief.

"The Trust's decision and reasoning demonstrates that it simply fails to understand, or refuses to acknowledge, the inequity that occurs by including an exclusively religious slot as part of Radio 4's flagship news programme. By allowing religious views — some of which can be considered as political opinion — to pass unchallenged, the BBC is betraying its supposed core values of fairness and balance.

"The BBCs blind spot concerning religion bias is bringing the institution into disrepute. It's about time the BBC recognised Thought for the Day as the discriminatory and anachronistic religious privilege that it is."

Earlier this year The BBC Trust prevented its own impartiality adviser from formally recommending that secular speakers be allowed on Radio 4's Thought for the Day.

Read the BBC Trust's Complaints and Appeals Board findings

Listen to Lord Singh's Thought for the Day broadcast

LSE student Society intimidated at Freshers' Fair over "offensive" t-shirts

News | Fri, 4th Oct 2013

A row over free expression has broken out at the London School of Economics after members of the LSESU Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Student Society were told they would be physically removed from the annual Freshers' Fair unless they covered up t-shirts deemed "offensive".

Student Union officials removed materials from the LSESU Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Student Society stand and demanded that the group removed t-shirts they were wearing featuring satirical Jesus and Mo cartoons. When asked for an explanation, LSESU officials stated that several students had complained about the t-shirts.

After a period of consultation a member of the LSE Legal and Compliance Team and Head of Security told the members of the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society that the wearing of the t-shirts could be considered "harassment", as it could "offend others" by creating an "offensive environment".

After challenging the actions of LSE officials, members of the Society were told they were not behaving in an "orderly and responsible manner". The group eventually complied by covering the t-shirts, but were closely followed by security guards for the remainder of the day.

In a written statement, Abishek Phadnis and Chris Moos of the LSESU Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society, said:

"We reject in the strongest possible terms that by wearing a non-violent, non-racist t-shirt we would harass other students or create an "offensive environment". We reject completely that we were not behaving in an "orderly or responsible manner". In fact, when faced with the entirely unreasonable request to change or cover up our clothing, we remained calm and asked for clarification on what rules or regulations we were alleged to be in breach of. Even though we completely disagreed with the instructions of the LSE, we still complied, making clear that we would challenge this decision through the appropriate procedures.

"As much as we respect and defend the rights of others to wear whatever they choose to wear, we claim this right for ourselves. Our right to free expression and participation in the LSE student community is being curtailed for no other reason than that we are expressing views that are not shared by others. The t-shirts worn are harmless satirical depictions of fictitious religious figures and certainly cannot be considered intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive to anyone by even the most stringent standards."

This is not the first time that the Society has been caught up in a row over causing offence at LSE.

In 2012 the LSE Students' Union effectively made blasphemy an offence following protests from Muslim students about a Jesus and Mo cartoon posted on the LSE Atheist, Secularist and Humanist student group's Facebook page.

The LSESU passed a motion proposing that 'Islamophobia is a form of anti-Islamic racism'. The Union resolved "To define Islamophobia as "a form of racism expressed through the hatred or fear of Islam, Muslims, or Islamic culture, and the stereotyping, demonisation or harassment of Muslims, including but not limited to portraying Muslims as barbarians or terrorists, or attacking the Qur'an as a manual of hatred".

It said it would take a firm stance against all Islamophobic incidents at LSE and conduct internal investigations if and when they occur.

Also in 2012, students from the University of Reading Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society were forced to leave the Freshers' Fair after they labelled a pineapple "Mohammed" and put it on their stall.

LSESU Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Student Society are being supported by the National Secular Society.

Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns manager, said: "There is something very disturbing about the curtailing of free speech on university campuses simply on the grounds of claimed offence. Being offended from time to time is the price you pay for living in an open and free society. If any religion is off-limits for open debate we are in a very dangerous situation."

UPDATE
Read an account of day 2 of the LSE Freshers' Fayre from LSESU Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Student Society.

Muslim employees in landmark win on religious discrimination

News | Thu, 3rd Oct 2013

Two Muslim men working for Tesco have won a case of religious discrimination after having access to the on-site prayer room restricted.

The Bedford Employment Tribunal found that Tesco had indirectly discriminated against Abdirisak Aden and Mahamed Hasan at Tesco's Crick depot after restrictions were placed on the use of the prayer room.

The room was provided after lobbying by devout Muslims in 2008. In 2012 new "prayer time guidelines" rules were introduced. Staff had to inform managers they were going to pray and ask for a key. They had to fill in a book when they used the room, and were only allowed to pray individually rather than as a group. The Tribunal found against Tesco and awarded the men an undisclosed sum for "injury to their feelings".

Christopher Fray, equality officer for the Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council (NREC), which represented the men, said the decision of the tribunal was a landmark ruling.

He said: "A large number of Muslims complained that the nature of these prayer guidelines were being used as a way of controlling and monitoring and harassing them. The Bedford Employment Tribunal upheld their claims and found they were discriminated against on the grounds of their religion. This case is a victory not only for Muslims, but for all people who wish to pray while at work. It is one of the first religious discrimination cases that Muslim complainants have won in Britain."

A Tesco spokesman said: "We take our responsibilities as an equal opportunities employer very seriously. We are considering the implications of the judge's ruling and await the full written judgment."

Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society, said: "We still need to see the full judgement, but this case has a potential to create mayhem in the workplace. It appears to put religious believers in a stronger position to undermine the efficient running of a business if it impedes their religious beliefs. These two Muslim men have succeeded where the Christian activists failed, to gain special rights in the workplace. We sincerely hope that Tesco will appeal this judgment.

"If religious employees want time off to pray, it should only be of this can be reasonably accommodated by the employer and on their terms. Such time off should be unpaid, otherwise those not doing so are disadvantaged."

Controversial Muslim free school closed by Ofsted

News | Wed, 2nd Oct 2013

The Muslim free school at the centre of controversy over the past few weeks has been closed after school inspection body Ofsted raised "health and safety" concerns. The nature of the concerns are not clear but the school is also under investigation by the Department of Education and the Education Funding Agency.

The Al-Madinah school in Derby had been criticised in newspaper investigations for imposing strict Islamic rules on pupils, including separating boys and girls, treating girls as inferior, banning singing and the playing of stringed instruments as well as spending disproportionate amounts of time on prayers and Koranic studies.

Ofsted said it could not disclose its concerns until the inspection ended but it was thought to be so damning that the school decided it would have to "temporarily close" until it was finished.

In a statement on the school's website, the school's interim principal Stuart Wilson said: "Owing to a health and safety issue, I have taken the decision to close the school... until I am confident that all children are safe on site. As parents, you will be informed directly, and on the website, when you are able to send your children back to school... Assuring you that we have your children's best interests at heart."

In the past couple of weeks members of staff who have left the school have been telling journalists that women teachers were forced to wear the hijab in the school, even if they weren't Muslim.

The school's first head teacher, Andrew Cutts-Mckay, left the school after less than a year in the job.

In a statement, the Department for Education said it was already investigating the school before the allegations became public. It said: ''We discussed the problems with Ofsted and it launched an immediate inspection. We are waiting for Ofsted's final report and considering all legal options."

Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society, said: "It is too soon to know what is really happening here but we suspect it is more than a simple health and safety issue. Despite the personal embarrassment this will cause Michael Gove, we hope he has the courage to force radical changes on this school.

"If half of the stories that have been appearing in the press are true, schools like Al-Madinah have no place in the British education system. If it has fallen under the control of people who have an agenda that does not accord with the values of the British education system, then they should be removed immediately and replaced by those with a more balanced approach."

Mr Sanderson said the new free school system was proving a minefield when religious groups became involved. "The freedom these schools have is being exploited and abused by some religious groups and we suspect there are many that are not honouring the agreement they made when they were first approved. Using schools for proselytising and evangelism became much easier with the free school system."

Free schools are state funded but operate outside local education authority control and can be set up by parents and community groups in England. Interventions can only come from the Department of Education and Ofsted, the local authority has no influence or control over them as they do in community schools.

Al-Madinah was set up with a £1.4 million grant from the Government funding agency and was expecting more to pay for improvements and building works. It is based in a building that was originally intended as an office block.

See also: Former teacher at Al-Madinah tells of rise in extremism at the school

Research or propaganda? How the apologists for faith schools are fighting back

Opinion | Mon, 30th Sep 2013

Faith schools have been getting a bit of a bad press lately. Despite the fact that successive Governments have encouraged them, parents are far from convinced.

The churches and mosques, of course, are taking full advantage of the Government's enthusiasm and expanding their reach into education as fast as they can. Large proportions of the new schools that are opening are now under the control of one religion or another, and the take-over continues at a pace.

Can it be a coincidence that the report comes only months after education secretary Michael Gove announced he is hoping to ramp up the involvement of the Church of England in the running of secular state schools? In July, it emerged that Church of England schools will soon be able to take over the running of non-faith schools, as long as they preserve their non-faith character.

What is this expansionism all about, really? For the answer, we can look at the words of Bishop John Pritchard, the Church of England's education supremo, who told the General Synod last year:

"Do we train our clergy for that opportunity or do we see engagement with schools as optional? The clergy ought to have a camp bed in there for heaven's sake! We don't have to bemoan the fact that our Sunday school has collapsed if there are 200 children at the local church school. The first big challenge is truly owning the centrality of our church schools in our mission and that's a real culture change…

"Make no mistake, the days of equivocation are over. Church schools are under suspicion or attack in many corners of society. I've been involved in debates on the Today Programme, the Time Educational Festival at Wellington, in academic seminars and newspaper articles.

"The pressure is on. And our response must not be defensive but confidently on the front foot. We have so much to offer. In an age of creeping scepticism about religion we know we have the greatest story ever lived, one with never ending relevance to every human life. So we need to make sure our schools are so rooted in the Great Story, so distinctively Christian in beliefs, values and behaviour, that people will be thrilled and challenged by what they see. We are working on a new scheme for teaching Christianity in our schools and on what a teaching curriculum looks like when it reflects in every part, the Christian spiritual foundation of the schools life."

There is an urgency because the churches know that religious schools are increasingly unpopular. The churches want as many schools as possible under their control before the tide turns against them. They know that once schools are in their grasp it is almost impossible to remove them.

So, now comes the propaganda response that Bishop Pritchard promised. Groups that have worries about faith schools — whether because of the unjust privileges they enjoy, such as the Accord Coalition and Fair Admissions campaign — or those that are opposed to religious schools in principle, like the National Secular Society, have been making more and more people think about what is going on.

At the NSS we receive almost daily emails from parents concerned about the level of religious pressure their children are being subjected to. Tackling the undue influence of religion is schools isn't easy. The law favours the indoctrinators. The free school system is going to make it worse, as they are given leeway to do almost anything they want in terms of religion.

Now the Theos Christian think tank has joined the fray with a supposed investigation into the value of "faith schools" entitled "More than an Educated Guess".

(That, by the way, is the same Theos think-tank that was started in 2006 by Rowan Williams, the-then Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor – so it's utterly objective, of course.)

Unsurprisingly, after examining the evidence, Theos comes down generally in favour of faith schools. There are a few caveats – yes, they accept that there is an element of social exclusion due to the way "faith schools" are allowed to select pupils, and this also reflects in the academic performance. "The evidence that the higher academic attainment of faith schools is due to something other than pupil selection criteria is weak," the report says and recommends: "Schools should move away from justifying the religious character of their school on the basis of exam results alone."

So, the much-lauded "faith effect" is not the explanation for their performance, and at least that is one conclusion we can agree with.

But what about divisions in society caused by religious schools? Are faith schools aiding or hindering social cohesion?

Writing about the report on Huffington Post one of its authors, Elizabeth Oldfield, criticises a blog by me on the NSS website which drew attention to the way Islamic schools are being hijacked by extreme religious groups and the system exploited by sinister interests.

My point was that there cannot possibly be social cohesion when schools are encouraging children to embrace a culture that is not just alien, but in some instance hostile to that of most British people.

Ms Oldfield, however, says: "Our review of the evidence showed there is little reason to be concerned about this, as the 'schools with a religious character' (as they officially known) are at least as good at other schools at promoting cohesion, and possibly better."

This sounds rather complacent when read beside a story in this week's Sunday Times that began:

"Former MI5 agents have been recruited to crack down on extremism in schools following evidence that Islamic fundamentalists are trying to take over some state primaries.

"Michael Gove, the education secretary, has warned that "potentially extremist parents" could be flooding the governing bodies of some schools that have large numbers of Muslim pupils.

"He has set up a "counter extremism" unit in his department to weed out educational institutions and practices that do not conform to British values. The unit includes two former intelligence officers with expertise in counterterrorism, two academic experts and senior civil servants.

"[Michael] Gove said: "We do worry. There was a case in Surrey . . . where there were concerns that a maintained primary school, a local authority primary school, was being taken over by a group of parents who were on the governing body who were potentially extremist." There was a similar case in Birmingham.

"Referring to Al-Madinah Muslim free school in Derby, where non-Muslim female staff were told to wear headscarves, Gove said: "That would be the sort of behaviour that would lead me to want to ensure that the school was inspected rigorously as rapidly as possible, because there are standards that apply to both state and independent schools that say they have to be in conformity with British values.

"His department is investigating the school."

Elizabeth Oldfield's dismissal of these concerns will not do, particularly as the evidence is accumulating. Try this, again from the Sunday Times:

"A state-funded school in Blackburn has become the first to force its pupils to wear a hijab both in and out of class. Rules at Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School require its 800 pupils "to wear the hijab [Muslim headscarf] outside the school and home", "recite the Koran at least once a week" and "not bring stationery to school that contains un-Islamic images", such as pictures of pop stars.

"The Lancashire school is the flagship of the Tauheedul charitable trust, an organisation seeking to open a network of 12 Muslim free schools across the country. Ministers have approved three such schools – two in Blackburn and one in Hackney, east London, which opened this month.

"About 10% of those in the sixth form at Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School, a voluntary aided school, wear the niqab, a veil that covers the face except for the eyes, and all pupils have to wear long purple tunics over black trousers so no flesh is exposed...

"Concerns were raised about the Tauheedul charitable trust in a dossier given to the Department for Education by Haras Rafiq, a former government adviser on the prevention of extremism, in 2011. Despite it, the trust was granted approval to set up three free schools.

"In his dossier, Rafiq said Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, a Saudi cleric who is alleged to have referred to Jews as "pigs" and the "scum of the human race", had made a visit to the school. "I raised concerns in June 2011 with the Department for Education," said Rafiq. "Despite presenting them with my findings, they decided to brush them to one side and go ahead and reward them with not just one school but three free schools."

"He added: "I think it threatens to create young British Muslims who are not able to integrate in the wider society, who are living in isolation and outside the wider community."

"Similar concerns were voiced by some residents in Blackburn, one of Britain's most ethnically diverse towns. In particular, some are opposed to the Tauheedul organisation being asked to take over the running of a secular school in the town.

"Religion belongs in the place of worship or the home and not the classroom," said one, who asked not to be named. "There is a lot of anger and suspicion about this plan."

Hamid Patel, headmaster of the Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School, told the Sunday Mail:

"We want to develop a network of 15 to 16 schools, including around a dozen Muslim schools along the model of the progressive girls' school. We want these faith schools to reach out to attract Muslims and non-Muslims. Our girls' school is oversubscribed . . . non-Muslims do not apply and I challenge them to do so."

Patel confirmed that Sudais had been asked to address the school three years ago. "The girls wanted to see this guy with 5m followers. They had seen him on YouTube. He stayed 20 minutes."

He also said the organisation had been asked to run failing schools with white working-class pupils. It has plans to develop free schools in Bolton, Preston in Lancashire, Waltham Forest in north east London, and Slough, Berkshire.

But this is only one aspect of the Theos report that is wrong. The issue of free schools is ignored completely, although this is the direction in which our education system is going.

Nor is there any mention of the Church of England's recent Church School of the Future report which made clear its intention to use its schools as platforms for evangelism.

The issue of homophobic bullying in religious schools is glossed over quickly, although it is a major issue for those on the receiving end.

If the churches want to make a case for their continued domination of the school system in this country, it is going to have to be a stronger one than that put forward by Theos.

In the meantime, the Government remains in denial. Denial about the fact that parents would prefer there to be fewer faith schools; denial of the fact that the system is being exploited and misused by churches and extremist groups; denial of the fact that these schools create resentment and injustice because of their admissions privileges.

When is any politician going to have the guts to actually question and challenge this stampede to hand over our school system to proselytisers?

Somerset council proposing to end bus privileges for children attending faith schools

News | Mon, 30th Sep 2013

Somerset County Council is proposing to reduce subsidies for transport to faith schools in order to bring them into line with those for non-faith schools.

At present, the council subsidises transport costs for children travelling to religious schools by an average of £440. Consequently, children travelling to these schools only pay on average £240 a year for the school bus.

Children travelling to non-religious schools pay £602 a year.

Under the proposals, the council would still pay a subsidy for faith school transport, but the charges would be brought in line with that paid by non-faith parents.

This is likely to affect about 200 families across Somerset.

The council has now launched a consultation about the proposals, which closes on 4 November.

The council pulled back from an original proposal to scrap faith school transport altogether after pressure from the schools and parents.

Councillor Frances Nicholson, cabinet member for children and families, said: "The current proposals have been put together in response to the feedback we received to previous proposals on the issue of faith transport subsidies. It's important that we hear the views of the public and that we take that into account when we are considering changes like this."

A decision on the new proposals is due in December. If accepted, the proposals will only affect children starting or transferring to a faith school from September 2014.

The consultation form can be accessed online.

Anyone requiring a hard copy of the survey or with any questions about taking part in the consultation can call 01823 355850 or email hreid@somerset.gov.uk.

Nordic children’s ombudsmen take historic step to protect children’s rights

News | Tue, 1st Oct 2013

Yesterday, during a meeting in Oslo, Nordic ombudsmen for children, Nordic paediatricians, and paediatric surgeons agreed a resolution urging their national governments to work for a ban on non-therapeutic circumcision of underage boys.

The children's ombudsmen from the five Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland), along with the Chair of the Danish Children's Council and the Children's spokesperson for Greenland passed a resolution to: "Let boys decide for themselves whether they want to be circumcised."

The ombudsmen concluded that: "Circumcision without a medical indication on a person unable to provide informed consent conflicts with basic principles of medical ethics." They found the procedure "to be in conflict with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, articles 12, and 24 (3) which say that children should have the right to express their own views and must be protected from traditional rituals that may be harmful to their health."

Dr Antony Lempert, a GP and spokesperson for the UK Secular Medical Forum (SMF), applauded this historic resolution and urged the UK and devolved Governments to work towards protecting all UK children at risk of forced genital cutting.

He said: "This important statement by the Nordic child protection experts is grounded in common sense. Children's basic rights to bodily integrity and to form their own beliefs should not be overridden because of their parents' religious or cultural practices."

Dr Lempert argued that, "with an increasing awareness of serious irreversible harm caused to boys and girls from forced genital cutting it is time for the genitals of all children to be protected from people with knives and strong religious or cultural beliefs. There can be no justification for healthy children to be forcibly cut. All children deserve society's protection from serious harm."

Latest: European Council condemns male circumcision as human rights violation

Turkey’s headscarf ban lifted in latest assault on the secular state

News | Tue, 1st Oct 2013

Turkey's Islamist Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, yesterday continued his programme of Islamisation of the country by lifting the ban on the wearing of Muslim headscarves in public offices.

It is the latest move by Mr Erdogan in dismantling the secular reforms made by the founder of the modern Turkish state, Kemal Ataturk, that have been in place since 1924. Last month tough new restrictions were introduced on the sale and advertising of alcohol, and many secular activists see this as the precursor to a total ban.

Judges, prosecutors, the police and military personnel will still be banned from wearing headscarves.

Analysts said the symbolism of the move was powerful. "This pretty much goes against the legacy of the Turkish nation-state project," said Ziya Meral, a London-based Turkey analyst. There is also unease among secularists in the army who regard the restrictions of Islamic dress in public offices as a strong symbol of the separation of religion from the state.

The resurgence of Islam was illustrated again this month when an Istanbul court handed a 10-month suspended jail term to pianist Fazil Say over social media posts deemed "religiously offensive."

The package of reforms, that include some much-needed relief for the persecuted Kurdish minority, also abolish the daily reciting in schools of a nationalist oath praising Ataturk that was introduced in 1933.

Large-scale street demonstrations in Istanbul and Ankara in June showed a polarisation of feeling among secular and religious Turks about the creeping Islamisation of their nation. The ruling Islamist AKP party ruthlessly suppressed these demonstrations, further alienating and enraging the opposition.

Gürsel Tekin, vice-president of the main opposition People's Republican Party, said: "The mountain has given birth to a mouse. It's a package that is meant to soothe people but it's not making anyone happy."

Mr Erdogan has promised more reforms. "It is not rational to expect this package to meet all the problems of the country, although we wish we could do this." he said.

Read this week's Newsline in full (PDF)

NSS Speaks Out

Terry Sanderson was quoted in an article in The Times (subscription) about the Church of England's latest attempt at evangelising. He was also quoted in an article about the Al-Madinah school in the Huffington Post.

Keith Porteous Wood was interviewed on LBC regarding the two Muslim Tesco employees who won a case of religious discrimination at Bedford Employment Tribunal.