Evan Harris on science and religion in schools
The whole problem with RE lessons is not that they exist but that they amount to religious instruction in some schools. There is no basis for allowing state-funded schools to indoctrinate their pupils, even if that is what their parents want. They can provide this in optional after-school (or lunchtime) classes or clubs. They could even have something on a Sunday where children are taught to be believers. They could call it Sunday School!
The recognition that RE lessons can be proselytising is reflected in the right that parents have to withdraw their children from these lessons. In contrast, they can’t withdraw their children from biology lessons even if they have profound religious objections to their being taught about sexual reproduction or evolution – these subjects are recognised as non-proselytising.
Secularists like me believe that RE is a valid subject for study in the curriculum but should be about what different religions (and other world views like humanism) believe; it should not be about what ought to be believed. So Catholic schools should be allowed to use RE lessons to teach that the Catholic church opposes contraception and believes that homosexuality is a sin, but not that the children ought to believe those things. The lessons should set out contrasting views on that subject.
Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/political-science/2010/aug/27/science-teaching-religious-education-re
Evan Harris on science and religion in schools,
I do not agree that Religion should be a compulsory subject. Religions are created by Man, at a period when there was very little scientific knowledge available. The main object of all religions was to create a reasonable and healthy mode of life. Ethics certainly should be incorporated widely in any school. It has a place in most subjects. I submitted a detailed plan to ‘Sacre’, as head of a secondary school (over 20 years ago) when the then Berkshire Education Committee invited Heads for suggestions, but not surprisingly this was strongly rejected. Religion, or non-religion, is such a personal matter, that if anyone should influence a child, it should coe from the family and not the State. Of course I am strongly opposed to Faith School
Rudi Sheldon (Lib. Dem. Maidenhead)
Clearly those who comment on science education should have education at least to degree level in science. Clearly also those who comment on religious education should also have degree level education in theology or religious studies. This is not of course to say what the person must believe or not (in fact I have known many people study theology or regilious studies who were not strongly attached to any one religious tradition, and several who were agnostic), but that they should at least be educated. My concern is that there is a current fashion of cultivating ignorance of religions as though this was a virtue. I am sure there are humanists with higher level qualifcations in theology and/or religious studies. Please consult these people.
Apologies if the last post seemed irritatable. My experience is that church schools are in fact very keen on teaching about other faiths and having children visit places of worship etc. of those of other religions. Respect for different religious beliefs is something that is widely taught. In my view this is a good thing and is quite compatible with a school specialising on one tradition because those attending the school are predominantly from that tradition.
I disagree with David Jones that those who comment on science education should have education at least to degree level.
This would completely ignore the experience and potential input to any debate of those being taught science from elementary lessons right up to degree level.
As someone who achieved some low level biology and chemistry qualifications, but miserably failed in the same level at physics, I think I might have useful things to say about my experience of the tuition methods, resources, tutor capability, etc etc in all three, in the same way as I could in any other subjects I studied.
I hope that someone educated to degree level in science would not feel obliged to consign my opinions to some kind of ‘idiot bin’.