GCSE RE content ruled unlawful ... a victory for common sense!

[shouldbecookin]

Have just heard the news that the BHA has won their court case against the Gvt who refused to include non-religious world views in the secondary RE curriculum. Woohoo!

humanism.org.uk/2015/11/25/judge-rules-government-broke-the-law-in-excluding-humanism-from-school-curriculum/

in our school there is the compulory RE lesson once a week that everyone does, and then GCSE RE lessons by those taking it.Id on't see the RE GCSE's role as being an antidote to religious teachings

I suspect that part of the ruling was to force religious schools to consider other religions and lack thereof a tad
its a definite GOOD THING
as it strengthens the case to keep RE in schools
it being the best way to create atheists yet discovered
but keeps it broad

KwJH

The thing about global warming is that it is scientific evidence is overwhelming that it is man-made. The thing about science is that you can see it, investigate and proof it. Not so with faith, since really science and religion are an example of non-overlapping magisteria.

It is worth noting that 20 years ago there were still a significant number of noted scientists who were global warming sceptics (that is scientists who are known for there impartiality and who do not have personal interested, e.g. the oil industry). Nowadays, there are practically none.

Optional GCSE RE should be completely decoupled from the compulsory RE provision which should be scrapped and replaced with philosophy & ethics.

Phil & ethics should teach a universal secular morality which will support a cohesive sceptical society able to think for themselves and have a common foundation in what is right and wrong.

The problem with the current RE curriculum is that it teachs a historical fantasy of religion that bares very little relation to how muslims/christians/jews actually live here and now.

So if we teach children that all religion is valid, that we should accept everyones views and never offend them, how can we complain when some children take their religion literally and try to enforce it on others? We need to be more honest.

It really annoys me when RE teachers teach what athiests believe in. Athiests do not have a belief system, they do NOT believe their is no god. The only assertion an "athiest" makes is that there is no sensible reason to think that theists are right.

My DS spent an RE lesson on the pros and cons of ISIS, really a whole lesson on what's good about a murderous death cult just to get balance. Maddness.

Also my DS wanted to op out of RE, school said no, its compulsory and we don't have any provision for kids to do anything else. I would have taken it further but my son was so worried about being singled out that we just accepted it. That is forcing religion on children.

Various posters have mentioned faith schools. This ruling does not affect those schools. They are exempt from the legislation that was at issue here.