Jenny Sanders explores the impact of recent legal decisions on religious education in Northern Ireland, examining how faith is taught in schools. She highlights the challenges of delivering inclusive, objective, and pluralistic religious education in today’s society.
‘X’/Twitter blew up a few weeks ago with news that the Supreme Court has ruled that ‘Christian focused RE’ (Religious Education) in schools in Northern Ireland is unlawful. One tweeter called it ‘a devastating new blow to our cultural oak tree’ and declared that we should all be seriously concerned.
Darragh Mackin a lawyer from Phoenix Law in Belfast said the decision is, ‘The single most important legal decision for education certainly in the last century.’
In a 2022 court case, an anonymous father and daughter challenged the legality and practice of how RE was taught in the state-controlled primary school she had attended. The Belfast High Court decided that Christian-based RE was unlawful then, but the Department of Education won on appeal. The school was vindicated for providing RE content that was consistent with the core syllabus specified by the Department of Education, and which they said was ‘Bible-based’.
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However, a counter appeal by father and daughter let to the decision on the 19th November to reverse this ruling. The objection posited was that the subject matter had not been taught in ‘an objective, critical, and pluralistic manner.’ Accusations of indoctrination were certainly inferred though, perhaps, subjective?
I was interested in this news story, having taught RE to Years 3 and 4 at a Church of England primary school in Wiltshire school some years ago.
I was interested in this news story, having taught RE to Years 3 and 4 at a Church of England primary school in Wiltshire school some years ago. I followed their two year cyclical curriculum which included aspects of Hinduism, Judaism and Islam, but with an emphasis – unsurprisingly and, I think, correctly – on Christianity. I enjoyed delivering interactive lessons, both asking and answering questions to help children understand what faith can look like.
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A forty-six page non-statutory guidance document issued by the government in 20102, maintains that, ‘[RE] is important in its own right and also makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and supports wider community cohesion. The Government is keen to ensure all pupils receive high-quality RE.’ It states that RE teaching which includes cultural, spiritual, moral, social and mental development is part of preparing pupils for adult life. Awareness of the diverse nature of UK culture allows for understanding, empathy and opens the door to meaningful discussion. It gives them the knowledge, skills and understanding to discern and value truth and goodness, strengthening their capacity for making moral judgements and for evaluating different types of commitment to make positive and healthy choices.’
While RE is compulsory in state schools, it is not specifically part of the National Curriculum which means that schools can develop their own plan or opt into a syllabus drawn up by their local authority.
While RE is compulsory in state schools, it is not specifically part of the National Curriculum which means that schools can develop their own plan or opt into a syllabus drawn up by their local authority. Parents still legally have the right to withdraw their child from RE lessons and/or acts of collective worship. In the recent court case, the lawyer maintained that withdrawing the child would have led to her being stigmatised as the only pupil not taking part deeming it unacceptable because of likely consequences of bullying.
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The responses have been varied. Nick Mathison, chairman of Stormont’s education committee said, ‘This is about making sure that the religious education delivered in schools is critical, objective and pluralistic.’ No one is saying the RE should not be taught in school. If you’re a parent, what is your child being taught? Surely parents will want to know what’s being presented to our children during school hours. Godly wisdom is required to navigate the questions that are raised when other faiths are included in the syllabus of any school, at any level.
Rather than live in fear of what might be happening on the other side of the school gates, perhaps we should remember that the weight of responsibility for teaching our children lies with us as parents (see Deuteronomy 6:6–9; Proverbs 6:7–9). Conversations about doctrine are crucial; issues require discussion if we’re to raise young adults who are not afraid of questions, have embraced a robust faith and, better still, know the privilege of a living relationship with God through Jesus, not just a list of dry precepts or untested convictions.
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