Rename RE as 'Humanity' says Allan Hayes

Allan Hayes answered a Facebook question by Grace Jessup. Do you believe that a comprehensive R.E syllabus should include teachings about the Humanist/Atheist viewpoint? Allan said...

"RE should become a course in HUMANITY: its biological basis; how we have ourselves created it to the present (including the contributions of religions); what we can do to make it better and what it means to be a good human being. Children should be helped to be proud of humanity, of being a human being, and to be responsible, happy, contributing members. 

This has been my position in eight years on Leicester SACRE (which now included Humanism in its Agreed Syllabus) and in my talks and conversations with groups and people of all beliefs. The present concern about RE, arising from its not being in the English Baccalaureat resulting in its diminished importance in the eyes of schools and the consequent reduction in staffing and time, gives an opportunity to rethink the subject. We need a vision, an ethos for all, one that brings us together. I have found wide support for the above, but open, coordinated advocacy and pressure is needed from all concerned, religious and otherwise.

Opting out of RE could and should be easier

reference: http://www.religionandsociety.org.uk/research_findings/featured_findings/opting_out_of_re_could_and_should_be_easier

 18 February 11
A case study from Northern Ireland In international human rights law, doctrinal religious instruction may take place in any school and an opt-out is regarded as sufficient protection for the freedom of thought, conscience and religion of those who do not wish to take part.

Alison Mawhinney and her team, funded by the Religion and Society Programme, set out to explore this opt-out’s suitability for protecting religious liberty in the diverse society that is contemporary Northern Ireland, and found ignorance surrounding the option, difficulties and concerns about taking it, and desires for more inclusive Religious Education (RE).

Most schools are state funded in Northern Ireland and Christian in character. They are all obliged to provide RE according to the Core Syllabus for Religious Education, drawn up between the Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist Churches in Ireland, and hold a daily act of religious worship.

Parents are entitled to opt their children out of both. Interviews were conducted with Atheist, Baha’i, Hindu, Humanist, Jehovah’s Witness, Jewish, Mormon and Muslim young people, parents and community representatives about opting-out, alongside a Pagan representative.

Interviews revealed great variety of experiences, but the majority of parents had not been informed by their school about the opt-out. 

Some teachers and school management were also unaware of it. There was parental concern that children would stand out and feel excluded if opted-out. Dissatisfaction with the Christianity-focused curriculum was the chief reason for parents’ decision to withdraw their children from RE (often the children had been attending and felt uncomfortable with the lesson content).

The process of opting-out had been difficult for some. No conflict between young people and parents regarding their opt-out decisions was found. The young people learned about their belief systems mainly at home with their families. Generally students felt their faith respected in schools and appreciated efforts at inclusion, but some experienced embarrassment in RE classes and racist bullying at school.

Overall, Northern Ireland was seen as a Christian country and so to know about this religion was felt to be helpful. Based on their findings, the team concludes that the RE opt-out is at times insufficient to protect and respect minority beliefs. They recommend children be more directly involved in decision making. RE would be improved by requiring teaching on a range of beliefs. Standardized guidelines for appropriate practice for schools should be produced, and schools should explain the opt-out and content of the RE curriculum to parents and teachers and make good alternative provision for those pupils who do withdraw. In Northern Ireland specifically, consulting much more widely to rework the Core Curriculum for RE could reduce the number of pupils opting out.

Find out more ... including references... 

What's the Place of Faith in Schools?

Link: http://www.religionandsociety.org.uk/faith_debates/faith_in_schools

Debate chaired by Charles Clarke and Linda Woodhead.

Podcast 1: Professor Linda Woodhead [Lancaster University, Director of the Religion and Society Programme] introduced the debate. Preceded by a welcome by Charles Clarke. 8.45

Podcast 2: Professor Robert Jackson [Director of the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, Warwick University] - improving religious education in human rights.  10.16

Podcast 3: Professor James Conroy [University of Glasgow] - what is happening to RE in schools is “a disaster for Britain”. 11.00

Podcast 4: Professor Richard Dawkins [author of The God Delusion], responding, - education about religion has value, but no child should ever be labelled by the faith of her parents. Introduced by Charles Clarke. 11.29

Podcast 5: The Rt Revd John Pritchard [Bishop of Oxford], responding, valued good RE and argued for proper recognition and resources. Introduced by Charles Clarke. 9.54

Podcast 6: Questions and comments from the audience, and responses by the panel. 52.09

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Three minimum recommendations that all schools should be expected to meet, by Stephen Law

source: http://stephenlaw.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-sort-of-faith-schools-are.html

I attended this event in March 2010. The photo is mine.

Stephen Law says

'On Wednesday March 24th 2010 I had a debate with Peter Stanford, former editor of the Catholic Herald about faith schools, at the CFI event "What sort of faith schools are acceptable, if any?" in the Great Hall at Christ Church. A.C. Grayling was Chair and Richard Dawkins showed up too.

Peter (after several goes by me to get him to address the specific recommendations) agreed with my three minimum recommendations that all schools, faith or not, state funded or not, should be expected to meet:-


ONE. EVERY CHILD SHOULD BE CLEARLY TOLD THAT WHAT RELIGIOUS FAITH, IF ANY, THEY HAVE IS A MATTER OF THEIR OWN FREE CHOICE.

TWO. EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD EXPOSE CHILDREN TO A RANGE OF RELIGIOUS AND ALSO ATHEIST AND HUMANIST BELIEFS, EXPLAINED WHERE POSSIBLE BY THOSE WHO ACTUALLY HOLD THEM.

THREE. CHILDREN AT ALL SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO THINK CRITICALLY AND INDEPENDENTLY ABOUT ALL RELIGIOUS AND MORAL BELIEFS AND VALUES.

More....

Religious indoctrination of children by John Duff

A short paper arguing against the religious indoctrination of children:

John Duff argues against religious indoctrination of children. On the last page he suggests that USA public schools should teach RE, comparing the roots of various religions and examing them so 'the negative aspects of religious ideology would slowly dissipate'.

Like we try to do in Dorset.

I quote from selected passages

"In America, where nearly nine in ten people identify with some sort of religion and 78% of the population adhere to some form of Christianity (Newport), there is an exploitation of children that is ignored by the majority: religious indoctrination. The indoctrination of any religious dogma is immoral and abusive.

Such dogma, original or not, is unproven by empirical evidence and to adhere to it "is a matter of faith rather than knowledge" (Hand Philos. 93-94). To educate a child in any field, one must either compliment their reason with empirical evidence or indoctrinate them. Religious ideology cannot be confirmed with "rationally decisive evidence" so a child's reason must be dodged in order to "psychologically" force these beliefs upon them (Hand Relig. 550). Therefore knowing that "all religious propositions are doubtful in this sense is sufficient to indicate that teaching for belief in them is always indoctrination" (Snook 74).
Religious indoctrination is a major contributor to the rampant problem of prejudice in the world; a well known example is homophobia and misogyny (Balkin, Schiosser, and Levitt 421)

Children should not be exposed to this cycle of ignorance. 

Down through history, the Church has practiced religious intolerance and can be found in the writings of early church fathers and leaders. The Roman Emperor Constantine I, who declared Christianity the official religion of Rome in 321 CE, supported the anti-Semitic stance of the church by stating "Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way" (Pamphilus III, XVIII). This type of hatred has prevailed, and children do not deserve to be misinformed with this type of favoritism. Along with prejudice, indoctrination will have an effect on the cognitive and behavioral development of a child by teaching for belief in irrational doctrines and ideologies. In Christianity, according to Hanna and Meyer, children are taught to pray to an omniscient, moody, god who is also all powerful and ubiquitous. Children are taught to pray to this powerful god in hopes of obtaining answers when nobody else can be relied on or trusted. Beliefs of this nature will promote anxiety as children are taught that in order to escape punishment; one must obey god's laws. The cognitive problems arise with the belief in a contradictory, authoritative, supernatural force that can be good, bad, abusive or kind depending on the compliance of extremely ambiguous tenets. 

By taking a child's objectiveness and building a partition of ideology down their field of reason is fiercely abusive and, by doing so, the child's ability to rationalize as a free thinker has been suppressed (Wilson, Williams, and Sugarman 174-175). 

Pseudoscience also plays a major factor in the indoctrination of Christian dogma. For example, ancient mythological stories like a worldwide flood or a 6,000 year old Earth are taken literally by many Christians today. In a study taken from a Gallup poll, conducted in 2005 by Darren Carlson, 76% of Americans said "they would not be upset if creationism was taught in school". The belief that the Earth was created by a supernatural being, in its present state, is known as creationism or intelligent design. This widespread belief is also taught to children as an alternative to the empirical and verifiable scientific theories which play a major role in our everyday lives (Northwest). Furthermore, children who are indoctrinated with pseudoscience will also be put at a health risk by being taught that prayer or unlicensed medical attention is a means of curing diseases. In certain sects, people are encouraged "to seek outside assistance" by "asking for prayers and other rituals from clergy, relatives, and other church members". 

This epidemic of unawareness is a result of religious indoctrination and the vicious cycle needs to end. Encouraging pseudoscience, like creation mythology or superstitious practices, as reliable, is indoctrination and society can absolutely survive without it. Research has shown that the immorality of exposing a child to religious training incorporates prejudice, ethnocentrism, cognitive regulation, deceitfulness, and pseudo-science. But on the other side of the coin, religious training can provide a sense of community in which the child will make friends, have mentors, and carry on the family tradition (First Comm.).
Religion is a worldwide phenomenon that cannot be ignored, and sadly children will continually be forced to inherit the ignorance of their parents. Because of this fact, religion must be carefully examined and exposed to children but in a systematic setting. If the public school system offered a religious education class as an elective, the negative aspects of religious ideology would slowly dissipate. This type of equitable class could expose students to every extant religion of the world and the beliefs involved with each. Children could also be taught the historic roots of each religion and the comparative features of all which would include mythology as an understanding of how stories were relayed in ancient times and the role mythology plays in religion. A religious education class, as described above, would eventually strengthen our country, and world, by putting an end to the enmity that is all too common today. The United States of America needs to ditch the Bronze Age mind set, and make this 21st century transition one for the history books. "

How children should be taught in schools - AC Grayling

A.C.Grayling, British Humanist Association 2010 AGM.





Is inculcating beliefs in children moral? The Jesuits - "Give me the child till the age of seven and I will show you the man." (10m). Spartans inculcated boys to be soldiers. (16m) Is inculcating school ethos moral? Should children be taught that deities are real and do these children then rely on imaginary gods to solve their problems during a later life crisis?


How should children be taught? 'Dissenting Academies' taught children to think critically, take nothing on authority or trust, investigate evidence yourself (19m). 


Do children think about religious belief? Do school friends go to hell because they have different religious or non-religious beliefs? (23m) 

AC Grayling on religion in education & why he does not subscribe to religious beliefs

In A.C. Grayling, To Set Prometheus Free, 2009, Chapter 2 Grayling says that he does not subscribe to a super-naturalistic worldview but instead a naturalistic worldview (page 31).


'If there is one practical move I would advocate towards diminishing the place of religion in human affairs, it is shriving education of it: that is the key to a better future.'
A.C. Grayling, To Set Prometheus Free, 2009, Oberon Books Ltd, London, Chapter 2, p. 52