Hmmm well this is interesting...
The Christian religious education (RE) taught in schools in Northern Ireland is unlawful, the UK Supreme Court has ruled.
The Supreme Court is the UK's highest court.
In a unanimous judgement the Supreme Court allowed an appeal by an unnamed father and daughter from Northern Ireland.
In 2022, the High Court in Belfast ruled that the Christian-based religious education (RE) taught at primary schools in Northern Ireland was unlawful.
However, the Department of Education (DE) subsequently won an appeal against that judgement.
But on Wednesday the Supreme Court unanimously allowed the father and daughter's subsequent appeal and dismissed the Department's cross-appeal.
And
The legal action was taken by a young girl who attended a Belfast primary school and her father. The family took the case anonymously.
In her state-controlled school, the girl had received non-denominational Christian religious education and took part in Christian worship.
However, her parents did not wish her to be taught that Christianity was an absolute truth and in 2019 they wrote to the school voicing concerns that it did not conform with their own beliefs.
The family asked if inspection mechanisms were in place to ensure that pupils were receiving a balanced religious education.
The school replied that its religious education was “Bible-based” and followed the core syllabus for education.
The family argued that their rights - which requires the State providing education to “respect the right of parents to ensure such education is in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions" - had been contravened.
And
The family’s solicitor, Darragh Mackin from Phoenix Law, described the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling as a “watershed moment” for education rights in Northern Ireland.
“The Supreme Court has confirmed that all children are entitled to an education that respects their freedom of thought, conscience, and religion,” he said.
Mr Mackin said the judgement means that schools cannot place children in the “impossible position of being singled out or stigmatised” because they do not share the religious worldview in the school curriculum.
Watch this space.