A huge number of teachers work in faith schools. Their salaries are paid entirely by the taxpayer. But without amendments to the equality bill, which is currently passing through the Lords, they will remain uniquelyvulnerable to religious discrimination.

Although a private Christian charity will have to show that a decision to prefer a religious job applicant is “required”, “legitimate” and “proportionate”, the governors of a state-funded faith school can discriminate with no such justification. The consequence is that voluntary aided faith schools – most of them – can require any and every teacher to be religious, not just those who teach RE or are in leadership roles. In reality, that doesn’t mean that every teacher in a faith school practises its religion – there are simply not enough religious teachers to go around. But if a governing body decides to rate religious devotion higher than numerical felicity when appointing a maths teacher, then nothing in the law can stop them.

Continues at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/jan/19/faith-schools-teachers-discrimination

The BHA is a member of Accord. Read more at:
http://www.humanism.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-schools/Accord