BHA: Government u-turn on Sex and Relationships Education against recommendations of Human Rights Committee

Friday, 19 February 2010 12:00 AM

The British Humanist Association (BHA), the Accord Coalition, and the Children's Rights Alliance for England have condemned the Government's move to permit state-funded "faith schools" to teach Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in ways skewed towards the religion of the school, and to permit parents to withdraw their children from SRE altogether. The BHA has made its comments in light of a report from today's report from parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights' (JCHR) on its scrutiny of the Children, Schools and Families Bill.

The JCHR supports the Bill in making SRE a mandatory subject in all schools, describing the introduction of SRE for all pupils as a 'human rights enhancing measure'. In particular, the committee welcomes the fact that state-funded faith schools will have to follow the same principle of promoting equality as all other state-funded schools. However, the Government has now tabled an amendment to its own Bill, which effectively reverses that position.

Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, commented, 'The Government has u-turned on their commitment to young people, trading children's rights for the support of a minority religious lobby. We are deeply concerned that the Government's amendment effectively gives licence to faith schools to teach SRE in ways that are homophobic, gender discriminatory and otherwise violate principles of human rights. The needs of individual children, which will dictate the sort of SRE provided in other schools, will take second place to the religious preferences of faith schools, which may well not be shared by the pupils and parents in those schools.'

Speaking on behalf of the Accord coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, said, 'It is astonishing that the government plans to deny young people of their right to accurate, balanced PSHE and Sex and Relationships Education (SRE), and allow state funded schools to teach the subject from one religious viewpoint. By taking this position, Ed Balls is implicitly condoning homophobia in schools and undermining attempts to tackle homophobic bullying. After Labour has done so much for equality, this looks like a 21st century Section 28.'

Carolyne Willow, National coordinator of the Children's Rights Alliance for England said, 'This amendment was completely unnecessary as there is already provision in the Bill for PSHE to take into account different perspectives, including religious beliefs. It is absolutely vital that sex and relationships education funded by the state occurs within the context of commitment to equality and respect for diversity; anything less is discriminatory.'

Mr Copson added, 'This latest move by Ed Balls will only exacerbate the concerns of those who are welcoming - at last - the introduction of SRE for all that exemptions for schools and parents will water down the new law so that it fails to protect the most vulnerable. Many have already condemned the Government's failure to abolish the parent's right to deny their children SRE lessons altogether. We welcome the committee's support for the removal of the right of withdrawal from parents of children over the age of 15 and the call by the committee that children of sufficient competence - whatever their age - should decide for themselves whether to attend SRE not by reference to age but capacity for decision making.'

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson on 07534 248596, or andrew@humanism.org.uk.

Young people themselves want SRE. The UK Youth Parliament, together with over 100 NGOs including the BHA and the Children's Rights Alliance for England, have called for an end the parental right of withdrawal of children from SRE.

The Bill, about to reach its final stages in the Commons on Tuesday 23rd February, makes a number of changes to education, including making PSHE and Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) mandatory.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious and campaigning for an end to religious privilege and discrimination based on religion or belief. The BHA contributes to debate on a wide range of ethical issues from stem cell research to sex education. The BHA is a member of the National Children's Bureau Sex Education Forum (SEF) and the Children's Rights Alliance for England.

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