Author: Alastair Lichten
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Unravelling the choice delusion
Posted: Mon, 10 Dec 2018 by Alastair Lichten
We often hear that faith schools improve choice. But an NSS report shows that this narrative mischaracterises the challenges facing families and public education's role in a diverse society, says Alastair Lichten. Read More »
We must resist both religious hatred and its weaponisation
Posted: Thu, 18 Oct 2018 by Alastair Lichten
After a sharp rise in reported crimes in which religious hatred was a factor, Alastair Lichten says liberal democracies should challenge hatred and bigotry while resisting attempts to silence ideas.
According to new figures from the Home Office there were 94,098... Read More »
Church schools are faith schools. Pretending otherwise is dishonest
Posted: Fri, 20 Jul 2018 by Alastair Lichten
The Church of England's pretence that 'its' schools aren't faith schools is a dishonest attempt to avoid association with the unpopularity of faith-based schooling, and at odds with their actual policy, argues Alastair Lichten.
When the term 'faith school'... Read More »
Religion and politics – the discrepancy at the heart of our schools
Posted: Tue, 12 Jun 2018 by Alastair Lichten
Schools are forbidden from promoting, showing favouritism to or discriminating on the grounds of partisan politics. Alastair Lichten asks why partisan religious beliefs are treated so differently.
Sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996 (applying to... Read More »
New guidance on the right to withdraw from RE in Wales – response
Posted: Wed, 06 Jun 2018 by Alastair Lichten
New guidance on managing parents' right to withdraw their children from religious education in Wales is largely common sense, says Alastair Lichten. But it downplays the confessional nature of some RE teaching.
The right to withdraw from RE is a difficult area... Read More »
Faith schools: why reducing the harm isn’t enough
Posted: Mon, 23 Apr 2018 by Alastair Lichten
We can mitigate the harm caused by faith schools in plenty of ways. But after the launch of the No More Faith Schools campaign, Alastair Lichten says the long-term battle is over the fact faith groups run schools at all.
I spent a lot of Friday reading though... Read More »
We can’t build a shared society around segregated schools
Posted: Thu, 15 Mar 2018 by Alastair Lichten
Our education and schools officer examines the education proposals in the Government's new integration strategy, arguing they should lead to a wider discussion of children's rights and facing up to the religious segregation rife in education.
When we talk about... Read More »
Home schooling debate must prompt wider discussion of children’s rights
Posted: Thu, 30 Nov 2017 by Alastair Lichten
As supporters of a new Bill aim to see home schooling in England registered for the first time, education and schools campaigner Alastair Lichten says children's independent rights must receive greater focus.
NSS honorary associate Lord Soley aims to register... Read More »
Big ideas for religious education?
Posted: Thu, 23 Nov 2017 by Alastair Lichten
The latest report into the problems with religious education reiterates the need to start with a fundamental examination of the subject's purpose. But, Alastair Lichten wonders, do the proposals go far enough?
The Commission on RE is currently consulting on... Read More »
The 'war on Christmas' is coming
Posted: Fri, 10 Nov 2017 by Alastair Lichten
The myth of a culture war on Christmas may be comical and its claims endlessly debunked, but its promotion is part of a campaign for Christian supremacy, argues Alastair Lichten.
It's coming… the 'WAR ON CHRISTMAS!!!' You've been warned: the seasonal... Read More »
Secularism and National Libraries Week #LibraryLetters
Posted: Thu, 05 Oct 2017 by Alastair Lichten
Ahead of Libraries Week 2017 Alastair Lichten argues that libraries' values of free expression and pluralism illustrate how a vibrant secular democracy should work.
Our public services – the majority of which are thankfully free from religious discrimination... Read More »
Casework focus: community schools and religious takeovers
Posted: Thu, 11 May 2017 by Alastair Lichten
Parents and staff regularly contact the NSS over concerns related to religious influence in their schools. Campaigns officer Alastair Lichten looks at a typical example of the casework we receive and what lessons can be learned.
A small rural primary school... Read More »
The human rights of women and secularism go hand in hand
Posted: Wed, 08 Mar 2017 by Alastair Lichten
On International Women's Day 2017 NSS campaigns officer Alastair Lichten reflects on the intersection of gender and religious privilege, and what the secularist movement can learn from IWD.
The theocratic mindset has always had a particular obsession with policing... Read More »
President Trump: American theocrat
Posted: Tue, 31 Jan 2017 by Alastair Lichten
Donald Trump may be America's latest 'atheist president', but his presidency has put Christian Nationalism at the heart of its policy agenda.
Modern theocracy whether of the Islamist, Christian Dominionist or Hindu Nationalist variety is about belief, but it... Read More »
Advice for parents wanting to give the evangelical Operation Christmas Child shoebox scheme a wide berth
Posted: Wed, 12 Oct 2016 by Alastair Lichten
Alastair Lichten looks at the ethical, educational and efficiency case against the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox scheme.
It gets earlier every year. Despite the unseasonable sunshine this September we've already started to receive the... Read More »
Book review: 'Christian Nation' by Frederic C. Rich
Posted: Thu, 21 Jul 2016 by Alastair Lichten
Alastair Lichten explores the themes of identity, resilience and redemption in Frederic C. Rich's counterfactual dystopian novel and its defence of secular democracy.
Rich's debut novel depicts America's evolution into a theocratic state following the political... Read More »
When is a community school not a community school?
Posted: Wed, 06 Jul 2016 by Alastair Lichten
Religious organisations are pushing for an increased role in non-religious community schools. This seriously risks blurring the line between faith and community schools, writes Alastair Lichten.
I've asked before "When is a faith school not a faith school?... Read More »
Faith in public services?
Posted: Thu, 02 Jun 2016 by Alastair Lichten
An increased role for religious organisations in the provision of public services would be disastrous for both the public and faith sectors, argues Alastair Lichten.
The Oasis Foundation recently launched a report arguing that the aspirations of the 'Big Society'... Read More »
Religious education reform: mistakes of the past must be avoided
Posted: Fri, 04 Dec 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Despite many RE teachers doing their best under difficult circumstances, a growing consensus now recognises that religious education in schools needs a rethink. Alastair Lichten looks at the latest report calling for reform.
This week saw the launch of REforReal... Read More »
When is a faith school not a faith school?
Posted: Wed, 08 Jul 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Academisation and the 'grey area' between faith and non-religious schools may allow even more schools to assume a religious character by stealth. To avoid this, we need a much clearer definition of 'faith school', argues Alastair Lichten.
The 1944 Education... Read More »
‘Spiritual influence’, democracy and free expression
Posted: Tue, 19 May 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Religious voting blocs and sectarian and divisive politics harm society and can undermine democracy. But are laws that potentially restrict free expression the answer? Alastair Lichten considers the charge of 'undue spiritual influence'.
Many student unions... Read More »
Cardinal Nichols’ conflation of secularism and religious persecution is self-serving and shameful
Posted: Sun, 03 May 2015 by Alastair Lichten
It's grossly distasteful to equate the persecution of Christians in the Middle East with the discomfort felt by some Christians in Britain at having to provide services in a non-discriminatory manner, argues Alastair Lichten.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols's recent... Read More »
Council prayers: none so deaf as those that will not hear
Posted: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Those who regard the imposition of religious values and practices in secular spaces as benign should be more aware of their privilege, argues Alastair Lichten.
You may regret clicking this link. If you did you may well have heard 10 seconds of silence. The... Read More »
Britain First – foot soldiers of a ‘Christian Nation’?
Posted: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 by Alastair Lichten
When mainstream politicians endorse the 'Christian Nation' narrative they feed both Muslim and Christian persecution complexes and pander to the far-right, argues Alastair Lichten.
Elements in the current government like to promote the dog whistle message that... Read More »
Operation Christmas Child
Posted: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 by Alastair Lichten
Every year the National Secular Society is contacted by parents upset to discover that a festive charitable project in their children's school is unwittingly making them tools for evangelisation. Alastair Lichten looks at some of their concerns.
It seems to... Read More »
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