In Religious Education and Collective Worship guidance Circular number 1/94 (published January 2004) paragraph 104 states that:-
- "The inclusion of representatives of belief systems such as humanism, which do not amount to a religion or religious denomination, on committee A of an agreed syllabus conference or group A of a SACRE would be contrary to the legal provisions referred to at paragraph 103.
Paragraph 103 states there are 5 groups that constitute SACRE:-
- 5 Groups
- A: Christian denominations and other religions and religious denominations
- B: Church of England
- C: Associations representing teachers
- D: Local education authority
- E: Governing bodies of grant-maintained schools
- A SACRE may also include co-opted members, who are not members of any of the five groups. There is no provision for an agreed syllabus conference to include co-opted members.
The "Religious education in English schools: Non.statutory guidance 2009" - guidance supersedes the guidance given on RE in Circular 1/94. It does not constitute an authoritative legal interpretation of the provisions of education legislation or other enactments and regulations; that is exclusively a matter for the courts.
I am one of two humanist members of the London Borough of Brent's SACRE. We are both full members of Group A. We are also full members of the current ASC (Agreed Syllabus Conference).
ReplyDeleteMembers of Brent SACRE have always been concerned with justice and equality. They insisted that the Council consult with its legal department and with the then Department of Education. They then took the decision to make me a full member of SACRE. I am also currently Chair of Brent SACRE. I would like to say to all those on SACREs who refuse to have, in principle, a humanist member on what is after all a secular body intended to represent the interest of all families and children in their LA, that they should be ashamed of themselves. That there had been guidance from a government department that called for discrimination against a section of the community is something about which many RE professionals and others raised their voices from the moment the advice was given. That today there are still people prepared to mobilise their prejudice hiding behind this much derided advice is both shocking and sad.