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UK Supreme Court rules Northern Ireland's religious education requirement unlawful: Tantamount to 'indoctrination'

Michie

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The U.K. Supreme Court has ruled that the current approach to religious education (RE) and collective worship in Northern Ireland schools breaches human rights and is unlawful.

The court reached its verdict based on the view that the present curriculum doesn't approach the subject in an "objective, critical and pluralist manner."

The judgment was handed down on Wednesday after a father and daughter — who cannot be named for legal reasons — challenged how RE is being taught in Northern Ireland schools.

The family became concerned after the girl, named only as JR87 in court documents, started praying before meals at home. When asked about it by her non-religious parents, she told them she had been taught to do this at her primary school, which she attended between the ages of 4 and 7. Her parents then approached the school because they didn't want their daughter to be taught that Christianity was an absolute truth. The school told them they were following the core syllabus for RE.

Continued below.
 

RileyG

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Thanks for sharing.

I thought in the UK it was normal to have prayer in public schools because they had a state religion? The more you know!
 
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rebornfree

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Thanks for sharing.

I thought in the UK it was normal to have prayer in public schools because they had a state religion? The more you know!
It was normal, in England, back in the sixties, when I was at school. We had a religious assembly before lessons with a hymn and prayer. Those of other religions (not many in those days) could opt out. Some students and teachers who didn’t believe just sat quietly but most of us joined in. At some point, between then and now, it stopped happening but I'm not sure when that was. Northern Ireland has always been more religious than the rest of the UK and, having it's own parliament, presumably kept the practise going for longer.

Btw what you call public schools is what we call state schools. I just mention that to prevent confusion. (Our public schools are expensive fee paying ones, like Eton and Harrow.) :)
 
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Arcangl86

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Thanks for sharing.

I thought in the UK it was normal to have prayer in public schools because they had a state religion? The more you know!
Technically, the UK doesn't have a state religion, but England does. The Church of England is established in England, but only in England. The Church in Wales, Church of Scotland (presbyterian not Anglican), Scottish Episcopal Church and Church of Ireland are not established churches.

Also this can be the case of something being normal but being done in violation of the law and only now did somebody care enough to sue.
 
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RileyG

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It was normal, in England, back in the sixties, when I was at school. We had a religious assembly before lessons with a hymn and prayer. Those of other religions (not many in those days) could opt out. Some students and teachers who didn’t believe just sat quietly but most of us joined in. At some point, between then and now, it stopped happening but I'm not sure when that was. Northern Ireland has always been more religious than the rest of the UK and, having it's own parliament, presumably kept the practise going for longer.

Btw what you call public schools is what we call state schools. I just mention that to prevent confusion. (Our public schools are expensive fee paying ones, like Eton and Harrow.) :)
Ah, thanks for the info! :)
 
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RileyG

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Technically, the UK doesn't have a state religion, but England does. The Church of England is established in England, but only in England. The Church in Wales, Church of Scotland (presbyterian not Anglican), Scottish Episcopal Church and Church of Ireland are not established churches.

Also this can be the case of something being normal but being done in violation of the law and only now did somebody care enough to sue.
Thanks for the info! :)
 
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