We are glad to see that the Times Educational Supplement has published a letter from Accord, after last week featuring an editorial that we felt unfairly caricatured those concerned about how faith schools operate. The orignial article is here: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6015287; our response is below. Dear Sir, I was sorry that your editorial last week...
A letter from members of nine religious traditions calling for an end to religious discrimination in schools has been published in the Times. The plea coincides with the first day of the Equality Bill’s committee stage, which campaigners believe could prove crucial in the struggle to make schools more inclusive. Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain,...
The list of research from independent organisations calling into question the way that faith schools operate is growing ever longer. As can be seen from an extract of a speech made last week by Accord Chair Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, there is now evidence from organisations as diverse as the Runnymede Trust, the Institute of...
Accord has welcomed the acceptance by the government of a report calling for PSHE – including education about sex and relationships – to be made compulsory, while arguing that there should be no opt-out for parents or special arrangements for religious schools. Responding to the report, Accord Chair Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said: “It...
Accord has responded to research presented at the Royal Economic Society showing that faith schools increase social segregation and fail improve local results overall. The paper by academics at the London School of Economics and the Institute of Education also argues that it is the privileged intake of faith schools that accounts for their...
Accord has welcomed plans by the National Union of Teachers to promote community cohesion by campaigning for an end religious discrimination in school admissions. A proposed conference motion, due to be debated on Saturday, argues that “all groups within society should be treated equally within the education system”. Responding to the news, Chair of...
Accord has welcomed the government enquiry into faith schools launched by Ed Balls. The announcement comes after concerns were voiced that some independent faith schools do not prepare children properly for wider society. Accord has previously called for proper regulation, fearing that many children are either kept in ignorance or even misinformed about those...
After persistent lobbying from Accord over the last few months, the Liberal Democrats have passed a policy aimed at challenging discrimination in faith school admissions, employment practices and religious education lessons. Under the policy, new faith schools will not be able to use religious criteria to choose pupils and existing faith will have five...
The Accord Early Day Motion that we launched last month has attracted support from 40 MPs, from all three main parties as well as one MP from Plaid Cymru and an Independent. Accord supporters sent over 500 emails to their representatives, which explained the problems caused by the current system in constituencies across the...
Accord supporter Ashok Kumar MP has tabled an early day motion (number 530) in parliament to back our campaign and urge the government to change rules on faith schools. Early day motions are used by MPs to draw the attention of the public and other politicians to important issues. The more MPs that we...
