Christian School Assemblies Violate Kids Human Rights, UN Committee Tells the UK
The United Nations' Committee on the Rights of the Child claims in a report that the U.K. might be violating the rights of children in publicly funded schools by requiring them to take part in daily religious worship "of a broadly Christian character."
In a report released on June 3 by the 18-person committee of "independent experts" of "high moral character" from countries such as Russia and Egypt, according to The Telegraph, called on ministers to repeal a law requiring a daily act of Christian worship at schools because it might contradict a child's "freedom of thought, conscience and religion."
According to report, titled "Collective Worship and Religious Observance in Schools: An Evaluation of Law and Policy in the UK," the vast majority of schools in the U.K. are required by law to organize acts of collective worship (England, Northern Ireland, Wales) or religious observance (Scotland) for their students.
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The duty in England, Northern Ireland and Wales was introduced under the Education Act 1944, and arose from the settlement between Church and State when the State took on responsibility for the provision of education, according to the publication. Even though various forms of religious observance had taken place in many schools prior to 1944, the legal requirement to provide acts of worship represented the first instance of a statutory duty in regard to religious matters in schools noted the report.
The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child believe it would be in the best interest of children if this law is repealed.
"The committee is concerned that pupils are required by law to take part in a daily religious worship which is 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character' in publicly funded schools in England and Wales, and that children do not have the right to withdraw from such worship without parental permission before entering the sixth form. In Northern Ireland and Scotland, children do not have right to withdraw from collective worship without parental permission," the experts noted.
"The committee recommends that the State party repeal legal provisions for compulsory attendance at collective worship in publicly funded schools and ensure that children can independently exercise the right to withdraw from religious worship at school," they further added.
David Burrowes, the Enfield Southgate MP who led a Tory rebellion over changes to Sunday trading laws, told The Telegraph that the request by the U.N. group was "ludicrous and mad."
"The collective act of worship is not an indoctrination exercise. It is recognizing and respecting the Christian heritage of the country and giving people an opportunity to reflect before the beginning of the day," he said.
"The U.N. should spend more time doing its main job of preventing war and genocide rather than poking its nose in other countries' classrooms. We can respectfully put those kind of reports in the bin where they belong," he added.
Pavan Dhaliwal, a director at the British Humanist Association, an atheist group, praised the recommendation.
"The U.K. state fails its young people in far too many ways today. Almost uniquely among economically developed countries, it segregates them in schools along religious lines," she said.
"We are pleased to see the U.N. agree with us that U.K. law needs to change," she added.
