Policy
EDUCATINGthe educators WORDS: CLARE MARSH
"RME is not indoctrination; pupils should decide their own stances on faith, morality etc and this is true in denominational, as well as in non- denominational schools." This statement was made by Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for Learning and Skills at a recent conference from the Scottish Government and Education Scotland entitled Supporting Local Authority leadership in the Delivery of Religious and Moral Education and Religious Observance. The HSS had been invited to attend, but when we asked if we would have an opportunity to speak on behalf of those parents, pupils and teachers who had no religious belief we were told that this would not be possible as there would be only two speakers; the minister and the HMI for RME. In the event a total of seventeen speakers addressed the conference, only a few of whom even mentioned the existence of non believers. A total of four members of our education committee applied to attend the conference but we were told by the organisers that government officials would only allow one. After some discussion they grudgingly increased this to two and Maureen Hutchison and Tracey Scothern went along to represent the HSS. They managed to identify one or
www.humanism-scotland.org.uk
two local authority representatives who were sympathetic to us and we plan to make further contact and start to work with them. There was absolutely no mention of any resources available for teaching the secular life stance, and indeed one or two delegates mentioned this gap in provision.
Our delegates unfortunately had no opportunity to describe to conference the wealth of support we had available in this area of the curriculum. A very disappointing outcome altogether but, on a more optimistic note, we are again in discussion with a commercial organisation who are willing to mount a conference in the spring of
2012 which will redress the balance. The minister of Learning and Skills has declined to deliver the keynote address but we hope to identify a sympathetic Scottish politician who will. Meanwhile, one of our parents has recently scored a notable success (see page four). His letter of complaint to the Director of Education about his child being issued with a CD ROM on Creationism had been referred to the Parental Complaints Officer. She gave a judgement that "
...the content of the CD ROM was overtly evangelical and was therefore inappropriate for dissemination to individual children…" - a small step, but one in the right direction.
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