Newsline 14 December 2018
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There are many reasons to be opposed to state faith schools. They push religion on children, encourage segregation and often discriminate against teachers and
pupils. It's also not the state's role to endorse theological positions.
When we raise these points we're often told that faith schools are good for parental choice. But this week our report, The Choice Delusion, has seriously undermined that claim. We've shown that
almost three in ten families in England live in areas where most or all of the local primary schools are faith-based. And thousands of families have been unable to
secure a religiously-neutral education for their children, despite the fact they want one.
Elsewhere we've coordinated a letter to the home secretary pushing back against attempts to convince the government to adopt an official definition of
'Islamophobia'. And we're once again drawing attention to an issue of genuine religious freedom, as we call for the removal of laws requiring compulsory worship in
schools.
We can only do this with your help, so if you value this work please consider joining or making a donation to the NSS now. Thank you
for your support.
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News & Opinion
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Almost three in ten families in England live in areas where most or all of the local primary schools are faith-based, National Secular Society research...
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We often hear that faith schools improve choice. But an NSS report shows that choice centred narratives mischaracterise the challenges facing families...
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The National Secular Society has urged the home secretary to resist calls to adopt a formal definition of 'Islamophobia' which have been put forward by...
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After two students pushed the Welsh government for a response to a petition to remove schools' obligation to hold acts of worship, Stephen Evans says
pupils... Read More
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Blasphemy laws, supremacist ideologies, sectarianism, 'caste' systems and exclusionary laws are among the ways religion restricts human rights globally,...
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The government is "committed" to reviewing food labelling, one of its peers has said, amid criticism of a decision to allow the sale of non-stun halal...
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A court has dismissed a man's claim for unfair dismissal after he was sacked for taking an unauthorised period of absence to attend a course for Jehovah's...
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NSS writes elsewhere
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By Stephen Evans, NSS chief executive, for the Huffington Post
No child should be discriminated against by a faith school – or forced into one through lack of choice.
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Latest from the No More Faith Schools campaign
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The Department for Education has warned an academy trust it will lose its funding if a faith school it runs in Birmingham does not achieve "rapid and
sustained... Read More »
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Updated NSS blog
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Lee Harris didn't choose a faith school for his children. But when he challenged evangelism at his local school, he learnt that community school
status... Read More
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Read elsewhere
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By Rebecca Probert and Stephanie Pywell, for Law and Religion UK
A summary of recently-published research on what may and may not be included in a civil wedding ceremony – but sometimes is.
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Other news
The Vatican's third most powerful official has been convicted in Australia on sexual abuse
charges, it has been widely reported. The case is still subject to reporting restrictions in Australia, a situation which at least one newspaper has loudly
criticised.
A report from Northern Ireland's Human Rights Commission has urged
NI's Department of Justice to introduce legislation to end the criminalisation of women and girls seeking an abortion.
The Scottish government is considering new legislation to incorporate
internationally recognised human rights into Scottish law.
Campaigners are to renew an offer to pay the cost of trial
Sunday openings of a leisure centre and its swimming pool in Stornoway on Lewis.
A shopping centre in Stirling in central Scotland has caved in to pressure to stage a nativity
scene as part of its Christmas display after complaints that it was not doing so.
A bill to legalise abortion services in the Republic of Ireland has passed all
stages of the Irish parliament.
Canada is reportedly
on the brink of repealing its blasphemy law.
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Buy your tickets: Secularism 2019
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There are just five months to go until our Secularism 2019
conference, where we'll explore what 'religious freedom' truly means and how genuine religious freedom can be best defended for everyone. You can buy your tickets now.
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Essays of the week
The problem with the word
'Islamophobia'
By Mohammed Amin, on his personal blog
The word has multiple definitions, mostly based on people's attitude to Islam rather than Muslims. In contrast the term 'anti-Muslim hatred' keeps the focus on
people.
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Quotes of the week
"The question before my mind was always, what do I do with this claim? And what is the best way to find a solution to this complex
problem?" Vincent Nichols, the
archbishop of Westminster and leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, tries to explain why he withheld
evidence of child abuse allegations
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"Religion should be kept outside of school because it has nothing to do with education." Rhiannon Shipton, schoolgirl calling for the end of compulsory worship in Welsh schools
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"Given that evidence clearly indicates that slaughter without pre-stunning can cause unnecessary suffering… isn't it time Bradford Council was more transparent
on this issue and reviewed its policy?"
Debbie Davies, local councillor, on non-stun halal in school meals in Bradford in West Yorkshire
See our quotes of the week archive.
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End compulsory worship: petition comment of the week
"Enforced participation in acts of worship flies in the face of freedom of religion and freedom from religion. It should be abolished."
Michael, Norwich
Sign the petition and let us know why you want to see an end to compulsory worship
in schools.
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Male circumcision: petition comment of the week
"Let's just say it as it is - we're talking about the non-consensual mutilation of newborns. Removal of a sensitive piece of tissue without permission, with
the risk of long-term complications and short term infections and even death. It is no less than barbaric, and must stop."
Daniele, Cambridge
Sign the petition and let us know why you think boys should be
legally protected from forced genital cutting.
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NSS speaks out
Our report on faith schools restricting school choice was covered in The Sunday
Times. Our CEO Stephen Evans wrote a piece in The Huffington
Post about it and the report was also covered by LocalGov, Schools Improvement and
Church Times.
A shortened version of the letter we coordinated on the proposed definition of 'Islamophobia' was published in The Sunday
Times.
Our president Keith Porteous Wood discussed the petition on compulsory worship in Wales on BBC Radio Wales. We were also quoted in a BBC news story and by La Croix
International.
Our recent letter to Google about its endorsement of an app which helps the Indonesian government to crack down on blasphemy was covered in a range of outlets,
including The Freethinker on Patheos.
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Support our work
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