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National Secular Society

In the last week the #NoMoreFaithSchools campaign has continued to grow. We've received positive feedback on our guide to challenging new faith schools, we've started sending out posters and have received our first supporter message via YouTube.

As always it's great to hear from so many different people about why they are supporting the campaign, and I'm grateful for all those sharing their personal experiences. So many of you have shared how you've been motivated by your politics, values, faith or beliefs, or a simple sense of fairness to oppose the segregation, discrimination and proselytization wrought by faith schools.

Faith based schools are often justified as 'religious freedom'. But supporters like you know that genuine religious freedom means an education system free from religious favouritism or discrimination, where children are free to form their own beliefs.

The tide of public opinion is turning against faith schools, and there are even some (limited) signs that politicians are starting to wake up to this, as seen by the decision to keep the 50% cap. There's also some less encouraging news below on the Scottish government increasing funding for Catholic teachers, and a risk that the Welsh government will continue allowing faith schools to distort SRE.

The faith school lobby may be loud, but we can set out a positive vision based on freedom, fairness and equality. This campaign is here for the long haul. I hope you are too.

Best wishes,

Alastair Lichten

Education and schools officer

Five easy ways you can support the campaign today

1. Write to your MP (or write to them again) find out what they are doing to support inclusive education.

2. Make sure you're following us on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

3. Send us a message saying why you support #NoMoreFaithSchools, you can even create your own poster with your message.

4. Share our video giving a quick overview of the case for inclusive education free from faith schools

5. Share our guide to challenging new faith schools.

Send us your #NoMoreFaithSchools video

We're looking for more supporter videos to help spread the message. Check out our YouTube channel and please consider sending us a video. It doesn't need to be professional quality, a quick video on your phone is fine.

Latest news

 

Scottish government to spend more on Catholic teacher training

The first minister has announced a 450% increase in the amount of money spent on a Catholic teaching programme. The programme provides students with a... Read More »

 

Welsh faith schools distorting sex education

Allowing Welsh faith schools to teach sex education through a religious lens will distort the subject and teach children to be ashamed, the National Secular... Read More »

Quotes of the week

I disagree strongly with any expansion in faith schools. All new state funded schools should be inclusive and the admissions criteria should not discriminate on the grounds of parental religion or attendance & it should be strongly discouraged for schools to proselytise to pupils.

Emma, Leeds

There is too much segregation in life. As we live together so we grow through sharing and understanding not by reinforcing a faith or belief or one set of values. Children from all faith and belief backgrounds should be educated together and allowed to develop their own beliefs independently and within the rich communities in which we all have to live.

Lord Cashman CBE

Write to your MP Campaign Locally Myth Buster