Working with SACREs
Religious education is far too important to be left to the religious - think what they would do if we allowed them to get away with it!
Every Local Authority must establish a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE - pronounced "Sack-Ray") - so there are 150 of them in England and we have two locally - one for Derbyshire and one for Derby City. Amongst other things the SACRE establishes the RE syllabus to be used in all local authority schools and must review this syllabus at least once every five years.
Come along to a SACRE meeting
We, as humanists, are represented on both the Derbyshire and Derby City SACREs as co-opted members. Being co-opted means that we are second-class citizens compared with the religious but the government has now established a working group to review to composition of SACREs and their role. Meetings are held once per school term and are public - so anyone may come along as an observer.
Please contact us if you are thinking of coming along - we can provide more background information and put you in touch with the relevant SACRE Clerk so you can get a copy of all documentation before the meeting.
Please click here to access the Derby City SACRE web site.
Why do we bother being on SACREs?
Good question - especially in light of the attitude of some SACREs!
Many secularists and humanists argue that we should not participate in the work of SACREs which are made up overwhelming of religious people keen to get their agenda across. Many SACRE members are liberal, very open-minded and inclusive, others are narrow-minded bigots who hate the idea of including non-believers when drawing up the syllabus for religion.
It can also be argued that religion in schools has been the major recruiter for atheism in this country. Just compare England, which has an established religion, compulsory worship and compulsory religious education, with American which has separation of church and state and no religion in publicly funded schools, and you will see what a wonderful job religion in schools has done.
It is deeply insulting, upsetting, depressing and sad, in 2007, to be treated as a second-class citizen, because of one's deeply held non-belief, when it comes to such important matters as the education of our children.
So why?
The agenda of all religious groups is totally clear. Even the "liberal and inclusive" C of E made its agenda crystal clear in the Dearing Report of 2001 - they need to get to children in schools in order to have any hope of stemming the tide of religious decline. The brutal truth (expressed in the report) is that their churches are emptying, the congregations are aging and dying and they need young blood - and schools are the places to find it.
The good news is that secular and "inclusive" ideas have changed the name of the subject from Religious Instruction to Religious Education. Some religious members of some SACREs still do not understand the difference between "Education" and "Instruction" - but they are getting fewer with the passage of time.
In the past, and in the personal experience of many of us, religion is schools was overt indoctrination. The god assumption ran through everything from singing hymns and praying in the morning, to learning the bible in class and taking part in the nativity play.
Such overt indoctrination is now frowned upon - except in religiously segregated schools, paid for by taxpayers but run by religious organisations. The rules of fair play do not apply to such schools and they are free to promote the ideas of one religion above all else.
Another reason for bothering
From pakistaniatheist.blogspot.com, 11th June, 2007:
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I am an ex-Muslim atheist. I was born and brought up in a Muslim family. During my childhood and throughout the major part of my teens I was made to recite the Qur'an every day (in Arabic and its Urdu translation). I used to pray 5 times a day. I started deviating from Islam at the age of 17. When I was 20 I declared myself an atheist in my closest circle of friends.
Why this transition? Well my college had a big part in it. It was there I learnt to think beyond what I was fed my whole life. I learnt to question the most basis of things and seek answers from an unbiased perspective. Eventually when you start questioning you stumble on what can arguably be said to be the most basic question of all. Is there a God?
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It is imperative that all pupils and students, at all stages of their education, are given the chance to see that it is possible to enjoy a good and happy life without god, religion or superstition.
That's why it is important to get our views heard on SACREs and to get humanism firmly on the syllabus of all schools.
Are we represented?
Yes.
Peter Jackson represents the BHA on Derbyshire SACRE and Mike Lake represents the BHA on Derby SACRE.
Mike also attends all Derbyshire SACRE meetings as an observer (SACREs are public bodies, anyone may attend as an observer.)
The RE syllabus
From QCA document "Religious Education: the non-statutory national framework", 2004:
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Learning about religion includes enquiry into, and investigation of, the nature of religion, its beliefs, teachings and ways of life, sources, practices and forms of expression. It includes the skills of interpretation, analysis and explanation. Pupils learn to communicate their knowledge and understanding using specialist vocabulary. It also includes identifying and developing an understanding of ultimate questions4 and ethical issues. In the national framework, learning about religion covers pupils’ knowledge and understanding of individual religions and how they relate to each other as well as the study of the nature and characteristics of religion.
Learning from religion is concerned with developing pupils’ reflection on and response to their own and others’ experiences in the light of their learning about religion. It develops pupils’ skills of application, interpretation and evaluation of what they learn about religion. Pupils learn to develop and communicate their own ideas, particularly in relation to questions of identity and belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, and values and commitments.
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To make sure the requirements are met and the curriculum is broad and balanced:
- Christianity should be studied throughout each key stage
- the other principal religions represented in Great Britain (here regarded as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism) should be studied across the key stages. It is important that ASCs and schools ensure that by the end of key stage 3 pupils have encountered all of these five principal religions in sufficient depth.
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To ensure that all pupils’ voices are heard and the religious education curriculum is broad and balanced, it is recommended that there are opportunities for all pupils to study:
- other religious traditions such as the Bahá’í faith, Jainism and Zoroastrianism
- secular philosophies such as humanism.
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Religions and beliefs
a Christianity
b at least one other principal religion
c a religious community with a significant local presence, where appropriate
d a secular world view, where appropriate
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So, even "inclusiveness" ends up with a slap in the face for non-believing humanists!
When would it be "appropriate" not to include a secular world view? Are there any communities where there are absolutely no non-believers?
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