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Even in half-term week, religious groups' attempts to undermine LGBT-inclusive education and relationships and sex education have generated significant press
coverage.
Last Friday Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham was forced to close early as protests outside the school escalated. Since then a former chief prosecutor who
was brought in to mediate in that row has called the
government's response "cowardly". And one of the contenders for the Conservative party leadership has said parents should have the "final say" on whether their children receive LGBT-inclusive education – in comments we've
criticised.
We're continuing to expose the religious reactionaries who seek to undermine inclusive, age-appropriate education about relationships and sex. This week we
highlight the activities and messages of a group called Islamic RSE, which is promoting anti-LGBT, anti-sex and anti-contraceptive messages and encouraging
sympathetic parents to get elected as school governors.
And we're urging
the government to stand up to these groups. But we can only do this with your help. If you want to see more pushback against this bigotry, please consider
joining or donating to the NSS today. Thank you.
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News & Opinion
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The National Secular Society has warned of a growing threat from reactionary religious campaigns against relationships and sex education (RSE) after its...
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A ruling that a nurse was not wrongly dismissed for repeatedly evangelising was unsurprising, says Stephen Evans. Healthcare professionals must be
prepared... Read More »
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Lancashire County Council has rejected a proposed definition of 'Islamophobia' after the National Secular Society lobbied against its adoption, two weeks...
Read More »
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Segregated education and legal discrimination are causing the "cultural encapsulation" of teachers in Northern Ireland along religious sectarian lines,...
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Matthew is the governor at a Church of England school in Cornwall. He says those running the school have made it a priority to push religion on children.
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Watch: Dr Ahmed Shaheed at Secularism 2019
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The first video from our Secularism 2019 conference is now up on our YouTube channel. Watch Dr Ahmed Shaheed, UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, address the meaning of religious freedom and its
limits.
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Listen: NSS Secularist of the Year on BBC Radio 4
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Earlier this month we awarded our Secularist of the Year prize to Saif ul Malook - a lawyer who has defended those on death row for blasphemy in Pakistan. He
told BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme why he took up the cases in the face of death threats. (Listen from 6:14)
BBC
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Other news
Children who were sexually abused in religious institutions often did not disclose assaults and mistreatment because they felt ashamed and guilty, a report from
the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has said. The full report is
available
on the IICSA website.
Religious representatives could lose
their voting rights on education issues at Edinburgh City Council under proposals discussed this week. Councillors have approved a delay to the decision
and will revisit the issue in August. Meanwhile talks have opened
between the Catholic Church and Perth and Kinross Council over the council's decision to withdraw religious representatives' voting rights. The NSS is
pushing councils across Scotland to strip unelected religious
representatives of their voting rights.
An independent school in Leicester has been ordered by the
government to stop segregating male and female pupils.
Conservative leadership hopeful Rory Stewart has said
he would like the archbishop of Canterbury to mediate a citizens' assembly, which would be tasked with thrashing out a Brexit compromise.
There has been a significant rise in burial
fees in Birmingham, partly driven by religious demands for special services.
People in the Republic of Ireland have voted overwhelmingly in favour of
liberalising divorce laws in a referendum. Catholic pressure groups were the main source of opposition to the measure.
The pope has compared having an abortion to hiring a "hitman" and said the procedure is always unacceptable. The NSS has said his view should have no impact on the reproductive rights of women who disagree with
him.
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Read elsewhere
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By Donna Ferguson, for The Observer
Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, the school head caught in the crossfire between demonstrators and the law amid protests in Birmingham, talks of the stress she's
endured as a result of her desire to promote equality.
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By Liz Hayes, for Americans United for Separation of Church and State
The aggressive abortion ban bills being considered in states across the country may not explicitly mention religion, but it's clear that these bills and the
restrictive policies they propose are religiously motivated.
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By Jason Wilson, for The Guardian
Prominent figures on the Christian right in the US, ranging from religious magazines to authors to elected politicians, have warned that the fight over
abortion rights could lead to a new civil war.
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Quotes of the week
"I've looked at the curriculum, there is nothing in the curriculum that is LGBT specific. There is nothing about gay sex. I've seen people walking around
outside of that school with stuff that they have downloaded from the internet suggesting this is on the curriculum. This is what's being taught to their
children. It's a lie. And this is what I'm dealing with."
Nazir Afzal, who
was brought in to mediate talks over LGBT-inclusive education in Birmingham
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"It's a very sad indictment of our society where a relatively small number of parents can create a hue and cry that leads to teachers and schools across the
country rowing back on what they know and believe to be necessary."
Peter
Tatchell, human rights campaigner, on the LGBT-inclusive education row
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Petition comments of the week: male circumcision
"We are living in a genital cutting society. Against boys and girls. It is a contradiction to democracy and relates to a fundamental misunderstanding of
human rights. Freedom of religion means freedom for the individual. A child has the inalienable right to choose. Those who cite this freedom are doing so
incorrectly, lumping their child's rights and their adult rights as one rather than two separate rights."
Ozan, Middlesex
Sign the petition and explain why non-therapeutic infant genital cutting should end.
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Petition comment of the week: end religious discrimination in school admissions
"In commercial or other public organisations, this kind of discrimination would, quite rightly, be illegal. Segregating children creates division and
intolerance in society. Time to end these policies."
Ian, Dorset
Sign the petition and explain why we should end religious discrimination in school admissions.
Alternatively, get involved in our No More Faith Schools campaign and help us
to make the case against the government's wave of religiously selective faith schools.
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NSS scholarship: deadline tomorrow
The NSS is keen to support original research that supports the evidence base of our campaigns work and improves public understanding of secularism. Applications
for the latest round of funding for our scholarship are due to close tomorrow: Saturday 1 June.
Our scholarship committee will particularly be looking for applications which demonstrate:
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A significant contribution to the evidence base of one of our existing campaigns.
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The ability to improve understanding of secularism among both academics and the wider public.
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That the applicant has the necessary experience to complete the research to a high standard.
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Applicants are strongly recommended to make reference to existing NSS campaigns and our Secular
Charter.
Find out more and apply here.
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NSS speaks out
Our chief executive Stephen Evans said the government was right to reject a proposed definition of 'Islamophobia' in a letter to The Sunday Times.
Our Secularist of the Year Saif ul Malook was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme (see above), with our decision to award him the
prize mentioned.
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Support our work
Please support our work so we can make the case for a fairer secular democracy for all.
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Click the link if you'd rather read Newsline as a PDF.
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