You are hereNews feeds
News feeds
Public square is a space to be shared
BHA news - Tue, 20/07/2010 - 01:00
The Big Society should include people of all different backgrounds and beliefs, the BHA has said today, commenting on further statements by the government on the value of faith in public life. Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities, spoke at a meeting attended by faith leaders including the Chief Rabbi and the Archbishop of Canterbury, where he announced The days of the state trying to suppress Christianity and other faiths are over.
Pepper Harow, BHA Campaigns Officer, commented, It is of some concern that the government has again chosen to focus on faith groups in its vision for the Big Society, with no mention of the contribution of non-religious people to local communities and wider society. There is a myth that religious individuals volunteer more, give more to charity and are more active in local communities but that is simply not the case. We know that non-religious people are hugely active in equality work, education, community development and many other areas.
To suggest that Christianity and other religions were somehow sidelined or suppressed by the last government is ridiculous. Aside from the continuing privileges in law for religious groups and individuals, religious organisations received millions of pounds in public money and the Communities and Local Government Department gained a dedicated Faiths Directorate. Their policy encouraged religious groups to run public services and the government spent a huge budget on interfaith week. This is a policy that we would not like the coalition government to pursue itself. Only by recognising the contribution to civil society of the voluntary sector as a whole can the Big Society agenda be truly inclusive.
Categories: Humanism
Academies Bill: Governments rush to create new faith academies will create religious divisions in school system
BHA news - Mon, 19/07/2010 - 01:00
The Academies Bill risks permanently entrenching religious segregation in the school system, the BHA has commented today. The BHA has made its comments ahead of the first debates on the Bill in the Commons today and following a poll which finds a large majority of the public are concerned about religious Academies.
An ICM poll commissioned by the BHA found that 72% of the public are concerned that the Academies Bill could lead to taxpayers money being used to promote religion. The figure includes over a third (35%) of the public who said that they were very concerned. The poll also found that 67% think religious Academies should be required to teach pupils about other beliefs, including non-religious ones.
BHA Head of Public Affairs Naomi Phillips said:
Before MPs have had a chance to debate the Academies Bill, the government has already stated that it has no plans to prevent creationist teaching in its new faith Academies, citing its desire to free schools from prescriptive curricula. This is remarkable given the fact that it is nonetheless requiring all of its new Academies to teach RE and hold daily acts of collective worship.
The reality is that new religious Academies will be able to discriminate against children and staff on religious grounds, excluding those of the wrong or no religion. It will prevent many existing faith schools from ever becoming inclusive and could expose children to extreme religious views, including creationism.
The results of our poll show that there are widely shared concerns about the governments new faith Academies. Time and time again parents tell us that they want an inclusive local community school for their children. By rushing this Bill through Parliament the government risks permanently entrenching religious segregation in the school system, against the wishes of parents, teachers and local communities.
Over 300 faith schools, including a number of fee-paying schools, have already registered their interest in taking on Academy status. Religious Academies and free schools created by the Bill would be free from local authority control, allowing them to teach their own curriculum, set their own admissions and employment policies and change the lengths of terms and school days. The government is protecting the privileges that faith schools currently enjoy to allow them to discriminate on religious grounds and some schools may even be allowed to discriminate more against teachers, non-teaching staff and in admissions than they are currently permitted to.
The BHAs concerns are outlined in detail in its briefing for MPs on the Bill, ahead of this afternoons second reading of the Bill in the House of Commons.
Categories: Humanism
BHA supporters lobby MPs ahead of Academies Bill debate
BHA news - Thu, 15/07/2010 - 01:00
The BHA is mobilising its supporters to help to ensure concerns about new religious Academies are raised in Parliament when MPs debate the Academies Bill for its second reading on Monday 19th July.
The BHA has been working closely with members of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group to investigate the potential impact of new religious Academies that will be created as a result of the Bill. The BHA has identified a number of areas such us admissions, employment and curriculum where the Bill could significantly increase the power and influence of religious groups in the schools system. BHA supporters have begun writing to their MPs to urge them to raise these issues.
The member action follows the release of an ICM poll commissioned by the BHA which found that 72% of the public were concerned that the Academies Bill could lead to public money being used to promote religion.
BHA Head of Public Affairs Naomi Phillips said:
The Government is attempting to steamroller this legislation through Parliament so we have very little time to make an impact. Whats at stake is the very principle of inclusive education which ensures a broad-based and objective education to all children, regardless of their parents beliefs.
Campaigns work best when persuasive arguments are backed by strong public support. It is vital that everyone concerned about the expansion of religious Academies contacts their MP as soon as possible.
Categories: Humanism
BHA contributes to consultation on sex education guidance
BHA news - Wed, 14/07/2010 - 01:00
The BHA has contributed to a consultation on draft guidance by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence to help schools deliver high quality sex education.
The BHAs response was submitted through the Sex Education Forum, a collaborative network of over 50 member organisations committed to ensuring young people experience objective and non-judgmental sex education. The BHAs head of public affairs Naomi Phillips is a member of the forums policy working group, helping to set its strategic direction and formulate its responses to government policy.
Naomi Phillips commented:
The BHA welcomes the draft guidance as an important contribution to the evidence base on sex and relationships education. We did however raise a number of concerns about the language used in the guidance, which we feel gives undue prominence to religious views. The BHA would also like to see NICE tackle the issue of faith schools directly, as we know that many struggle to provide good sex education. We are particularly concerned how crucial issues such as contraception, safe sex, and different sexualities are taught in religious schools.
Ultimately the BHA wants to see sex and relationships education become a statutory part of the curriculum, with no religious opt outs. We hope that this guidance represents a significant step towards this goal.
Categories: Humanism
Poll - Over two thirds concerned that Academies Bill will use public money to promote religion
BHA news - Wed, 14/07/2010 - 01:00
A new ICM poll commissioned by the BHA has found that 72% of the public are concerned that the Academies Bill could lead to taxpayers money being used to promote religion. The figure includes over a third of the public who said that they were "very concerned". The poll also found that 67% think religious Academies should be required to teach pupils about other beliefs, including non-religious ones.
The poll is released ahead of the Bills second reading in the House of Commons on Monday 19th July and follows the governments acknowledgement in the Lords last week that there is a risk that creationism could be taught in religious Academies.
Over 300 faith schools, including a small number of fee-paying schools, have registered their interest in converting to Academy status. Religious Academies created as a result of the Bill would be free from local authority control, allowing them to set their own admissions and employment policies and change the lengths of terms and school days. The Bill as it stands would not require these new Academies to follow the national curriculum.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:
"These results demonstrate that a majority of the public share our concerns about religious Academies. The message from this poll is very clear - there is no public appetite to increase the power and influence of religious groups in our schools. The state-funded education system should not be viewed or used as a vehicle for religious organisations to promote their beliefs."
"Time and time again parents tell us that they want an inclusive local community school for their children. By rushing this Bill through Parliament the governments risks giving religious groups, some of whom hold extreme views, a permanent foothold in our education system. We urge the government to respond to this high level of public concern by amending the Bill to include greater safeguards against undue religious influence."
Categories: Humanism
BHA welcomes Welsh plans to introduce presumed consent for organ donation
BHA news - Wed, 14/07/2010 - 01:00
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed todays announcement by Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones that his Government will seek a legislative competence order on organ donation, so that the so-called soft opt-out system can be implemented in Wales. The soft system of presumed consent is the system suggested by the British Medical Association, and is supported by the BHA. The system means that organ donation (for those over the age of 16) is the default position but that, upon death, relatives are told that the individual had not opted out and are asked if they are aware of any unregistered objection.
The current 'opt in' system means that only 28% of people are on the donation register, which in turn means that 10,000 people currently need a transplant in the UK, and three people die every day whilst waiting. Changing the system to opt-out has been successful in increasing the number of organs donated in countries such as Belgium and the Czech Republic, where rates of donation are almost double that of the United Kingdom.
BHA Campaigns Officer Pepper Harow commented, As humanists do not believe in a continued existence after death or place an additional spiritual value upon the human body, there is no reason to object to allowing ones organs to be used to help others after death, except for when an individual has expressed a personal wish otherwise. There are also positive moral reasons for organ donation as it will help save lives and improve the quality of life for others.
Todays news is a step forward to helping many more people receive the organs that they need. We hope that any change in the law is supported by good public information, education and awareness of the new system, such that anyone who wishes to opt out will be sufficiently informed that they have the right to do so.
Categories: Humanism
Women bishops will still have unequal status in Church of England
BHA news - Tue, 13/07/2010 - 01:00
Commenting on the outcome of the proceedings of the General Synod from this weekend, the BHA has said that although a move to allow the ordaining of women bishops within the Church of England is a step in the right direction, they will still not have equal status to their male counterparts.
An amendment proposed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York would have seen the creation of a separate male-only class of bishop to look after parishes which do not wish to have female bishops, and was only narrowly defeated by 5 votes.
However, a Measure was passed that seeks to increase permitted discriminatory actions against women bishops and priests. For example, the Measure, whilst not establishing a separate male-only class of bishop, would allow male bishops to refuse to ordain female priests, and allows parish councils to restrict certain activities to male bishops, such as episcopal ministry and pastoral care. In order for these policies to become Church law, the Government will have to amend the Equality Act 2010, and the Government Equality Office has already indicated that they will do so.
Naomi Phillips, BHA Head of Public Affairs, stated, In view of the Church of Englands position and influence as the established church and of its control of a third of our state schools, its own internal policies are significant to the rest of society, and its continuing discrimination not least on grounds of gender and sexual orientation should be matters of wider political and social interest and concern.
Naomi continued, We should be concerned by the misogynistic amendment attempted by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and by the new Measure which would afford second class status to women bishops. That the amendment was defeated shows the Church leadership to be out of touch with its own flock as well as with the majority population. Moreover, the continuing anti-progressive tendencies of those at the top of the Church hierarchy and influential others highlights again why we should seek actively to abolish the remaining and significant ties between Church and State.
Categories: Humanism
BHA warns against making a fetish of faith in the Big Society
BHA news - Tue, 13/07/2010 - 01:00
The governments proposed focus on faith groups and interfaith work in its work towards the Big Society has been questioned by the British Humanist Association (BHA).
The BHA has responded to a speech made earlier today by Communities Minister Andrew Stunell to the Inter Faith Network for the UK in which he stated that Inter faith activity is more important than ever in our work towards the Big Society and commented on the value of faith communities to national life, local communities and their role providing a moral outlook.
Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, said, We know from experience with similar policies under the previous government that making a fetish of faith and interfaith activities in this way excludes not only non-religious people from dialogue and activities, but many religious people too. In our diverse and increasingly secular society, it is alarming that the government is seeking to pursue and resource policies that can only be damaging for social cohesion.
This trend begun by Labour and now continued by the coalition government seeks to promote the alleged virtues of faith, such as its promotion of moral values, with virtually no critical analysis. Faith is seen and treated by many politicians and policy makers as a panacea: an intrinsically good thing which imbues those associated with it with some special goodness unattainable by the rest of us. Not only is this insulting to non-religious people, there is no evidence to support it.
Moreover, policies that focus exclusively on dialogue and activities that only some religious people can access gives greatly disproportionate and privileged access to government policy and decision making, effectively raising the importance of religious opinion above that of any other voice in the public sphere. This is already happening at all levels of government via the Faith Communities Consultative Council and various interfaith forums across the country and it is deeply worrying that the coalition government wants to increase this unnecessary pattern. We will be raising our concerns with CLG directly.
Categories: Humanism
Founder of BHA on history of the world website
BHA news - Mon, 12/07/2010 - 01:00
A bust of Harold Blackham is currently appearing on a BBC website as an important object in the history of the world. The website, part of the BBCs A History of the World in 100 Objects collects together objects which the public believe to be of historical value. Blackham (1903-2009) has been called the "architect of the international humanist movement" and was the first Director of the BHA at its formation in 1963. The bust currently resides in the BHA offices.
Andrew Copson, Chief Executive stated, The inclusion of this object illustrates the importance of Humanism in the historical narrative of the UK. Blackham was an important social reformer, making substantial contributions to 20th century humanist thinking in his many articles and books.
The BHA is immensely proud of the contributions made to society throughout history by humanists. We celebrated this last month in our annual Humanist Week and continue to collect information on our website about Humanist Heritage.
Categories: Humanism
MPs call for end to compulsory collective worship in schools
BHA news - Fri, 09/07/2010 - 01:00
The BHA is leading a new parliamentary campaign to end compulsory collective worship in schools. Julian Huppert MP, member of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for the law requiring schools to hold a daily act of "broadly Christian" worship to be repealed. The EDM notes that repealing the law would reflect the Governments wish to free schools from prescriptive statutory requirements and stresses the educational value of inclusive school assemblies.
The EDM comes just days after a suggestion to repeal the law on collective worship became one of the most popular ideas on the Governments Your Freedom website.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson stated,
We welcome this EDM calling for an end to compulsory collective worship and urge all MPs to sign it. The law is a clear infringement of the right to freedom of belief, forcing pupils to take part in worship regardless of what they personally believe. Teachers too are put in a very difficult position, having to lead acts of worship which may not represent their own beliefs.
Teachers, parents and pupils themselves have consistently opposed compulsory collective worship. In scrapping this outdated and discriminatory law, schools will be free to hold inclusive educational assemblies which can build shared values and a sense of community.
Categories: Humanism
BHA briefs Lords ahead of debate on libel law reform
BHA news - Fri, 09/07/2010 - 01:00
BHA briefs Lords ahead of debate on libel law reform
The first Parliamentary debate concerning the reform of libel laws takes place in the House of Lords today (Friday 9th of July). The British Humanist Association (BHA) has briefed Lords ahead of the debate to stress the need for improvements in the current system.
The Defamation Bill takes the first step in addressing flaws within the libel system by seeking to protect individuals and organisations that report on activities of public concern. It also compels claimants to justify their claims by substantiating the harm or financial loss an accusation has caused them, and also encourages speedier proceedings to reduce costs.
Campaigns Officer Pepper Harrow, explains, Under the current laws, journalists, human rights campaigners and scientists are effectively censored from conducting and reporting enquires and analysis on a wide range of subjects due to the threat of hugely expensive legal action.
As a supporter of the Libel Reform Campaign, the BHA believes that freedom of speech is a prerequisite for an open and democratic society. Unreasonable restrictions on expression undermine debate and progress. We believe this Bill goes some way to redressing the balance, and will help to foster a culture of open inquiry, where issues may be resolved through debate in the public sphere, rather than through drawn out and costly legal proceedings.
Categories: Humanism
Governments disgraceful refusal to protect inclusive nature of community schools
BHA news - Thu, 08/07/2010 - 01:00
The BHA has condemned the Governments decision not to protect the inclusive nature of community schools which become Academies, following yesterdays Report Stage debate on the Academies Bill in the Lords.
BHA distinguished supporter Lady Massey tabled an Amendment to ensure inclusive community schools could not take on a religious character when becoming Academies and so begin discriminating on religious grounds. Lady Massey said she feared a proliferation of state-funded faith schools that could lead to religious and economic segregation. In response the Schools Minister Lord Hill said that the Government will not prevent new Academies from becoming faith schools after converting to Academy status, providing that they meet relevant tests.
Lady Massey also raised concerns about the greater flexibility that Academies will have over their curriculum, and the risk of creationism and other religious mythologies being taught as fact. Responding for the Government, Lord Hill said: I share her concerns about creationism, but one of the core aims of the [Academies] policy is precisely that the Secretary of State should not dictate to academies what they should teach
I fully accept that if you trust people things do go wrong, but that is the direction that we want to try to go in.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:
It is disgraceful that the Government refuses to protect the inclusive nature of community schools. There is a very real risk that the Bill will lead to a proliferation of new faith schools by allowing community schools under religious influence from religious organisations offering financial support, for example to take on a religious character after conversion. This would be a hugely retrograde step, extending the discriminatory and divisive effects of faith schools to many more areas of the country and removing inclusive schools from local communities. The Academies Bill is supposed to be about freedom and choice, yet it risks removing parents freedom to choose an inclusive school for their children.
Commenting on the issue of curriculum, Mr Copson continued:
Once a state-maintained faith school has become a religious Academy, it will have much greater flexibility over the curriculum. The BHA is deeply concerned that some religious authorities will use this new freedom to pursue very restrictive teaching in line with their religious ethos. The Government has admitted that it shares our concerns about the teaching of creationism, for instance, yet it is unwilling to do anything about it. It is simply not good enough to say things go wrong it will be parents, local communities and pupils themselves who will be left picking up the pieces.
Categories: Humanism
Protest the Pope to attend London Pride
BHA news - Thu, 01/07/2010 - 01:00
Supporters of the Protest the Pope campaign will be marching in the London Pride parade this Saturday to highlight the effect of the Vaticans anti-homosexual policies on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. The group of walkers will be handing out leaflets detailing the Popes opinion on homosexuality and giving out stickers stating No State Visit.
Andrew Copson, speaker for Protest the Pope Campaign, explained, The Popes attitude to lesbian and gay people is just one of the many stances that the Vatican State holds which are damaging to human dignity and human rights. Its opinions on AIDS, condom use and abortion have far reaching and devastating effects on the lives and human rights of millions more people.
In many counties around the world, the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals are effectively negated because of the pressure that the Catholic Church puts on governments. The head of the Vatican State should not be afforded the honour of a state visit and it is this message which we will be highlighting at London Pride.
Categories: Humanism
An opportunity to end compulsory collective worship?
BHA news - Thu, 01/07/2010 - 01:00
A suggestion to repeal the law requiring compulsory collective worship in UK schools became the most popular idea on a new website launched today by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Your Freedom. The government website has a section on civil liberties where people can make suggestions of laws which they want to see repealed and comment on the suggestions of other participants. Scrapping the law on collective worship in schools became the most rated idea within an hour of being submitted.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson stated, If the government wishes to free schools from prescriptive legal regimes, then it is difficult to see why the law on collective worship, which requires all schools to hold a daily act of worship, should not be one of the first laws to be thrown on the bonfire.
Teachers, parents and pupils themselves have repeatedly opposed this legal requirement, infringing as it does on young peoples rights to freedom of belief by forcing them to pray or worship in other ways. It is no wonder that getting rid of that law was immediately the most popular on the governments website as a bad law that restricts freedom.
Categories: Humanism
Humanist group in Parliament re-launches with packed out meeting
BHA news - Thu, 01/07/2010 - 01:00
MPs, Peers and members staff filled the room for last nights inaugural meeting in 2010 of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG), with a number ducking out of other meetings and parliamentary business to ensure they could attend. The APPHG brings together non-religious MPs and Peers from all three main parties, as well as members from the crossbenches in the Lords, and since 2006 has maintained the prestigious All-Party status.
The meeting opened with its AGM and election of officers. The Rt Hon Lord Macdonald of Tradeston stood down as chair after presiding over an incredibly successful 5 years for the Group, with former Minister Lord Warner, taking over as chair. The Group welcomed the re-election of Kelvin Hopkins MP, Lord Taverne, Baroness Flather and Lord McIntosh as officers. Dr Julian Huppert MP and Lord Garel-Jones were both elected for the first time as vice chairs, and Baroness Massey, who is currently heavily involved with the Academies Bill representing the humanist position, was elected as secretary.
Following the AGM, BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson addressed the Group, outlining the challenges and opportunities posed for humanists in parliament by the coalition governments programme. In particular, constitutional reform, education and public services were flagged up as key issues for members of the Group to get involved in over the coming year. Speaking on education, Mr Copson said that the Group had reason to be concerned about the religious aspects of mass deregulation but also said it was a great chance to get rid of the unnecessary, outdated and prescriptive laws and rules such as those on compulsory worship in schools.
Categories: Humanism
