Calling UK people

[Carol Haynes]

This topic is way Off Topic but I would like to drum up some support for something I feel strongly about.

If you don't live in the UK this isn't relevant to you ... though you could mount your own campaign in your own country ....

Anti school assembly petition

I have set up a petiton on the UK Prime Ministers website to abolish compulsory religious school assemblies in all state run schools.

If you live in the UK and agree please sign up and pass the word to friends.

You can see the petition at http://petitions.pm....v.uk/schoolassembly/

I have personally been affected by this. The rural area of the UK in which I live has predominantly 'church foundation' schools - many of which contractually require teachers to assent to teach children the christian faith - as a result I cannot complete their application forms without hypocrisy or stating that I cannot assent to their religious principles. These are state funded schools and children/teachers/parents in my area have no alternative but to bus their children up to 40 miles to find a non-denominational state school.

In theory teachers and parents can opt out of the religious practices of the school but realistically I cannot be employed in a school where I am unwilling to participate (most of the schools only have 2 or 3 teachers because of the size of communities they serve).

[f0dder]

>_<

I think we can all agree on "christian values", and teaching religion on a more broad scale to help people understand the world we live in is a good idea too, imho. But preaching christinanity, or any other religion? Ick.
 

[Carol Haynes]

I think we can all agree on "christian values".

-f0dder (March 24, 2007, 08:39 AM)

That's the problem for me - I am not a christian and therefore don't agree with 'christian values' (I'm not sure what they are and I am not even sure 10 christians in a room can agree on what they are let alone all assent to the same things). I am all for religious education in schools as the only way to help different factions in society to understand each other and cool the temperature - but education ABOUT religion is not the same as  "broadly christian daily assembly" which is what the government in the UK has legislated for all schools (even muslim schools are supposed to have one!).

If you mean 'do to others what you would have them do to you' as a guiding principle in life then that seems a reasonable basis. I consider myself a moral person but I can't/don't claim to have 'christian values' and would find it mildly offensive if someone tried to assert that I did.

By the way I have only replied because I wanted to clarify what I was saying and my reaons for starting the petition. I don't want this to become a religious discussion/argument. If you disagree with me don't sign the petition and ignore me, if you do agree then please sign up. I am not trying to 'preach' here just make any UK members aware that the petition is out there if they want to sign it.

[iphigenie]

I agree with you Carol.

Alas although I live in the UK I come from Switzerland and I as a result am not eligible to vote. But it says "British citizen or resident" and I sure qualify as resident so I'll add a line to it.

As far as I am concerned if a school takes governement money, then it should be open to the children of parents of any race/religion/opinion and not place any requirements that the children are taught any particular religion.

It just seems wrong to get money from the government to set up and run a school in an area which needs it, and then use that money to promote an agenda on to children who have no choice...