Religious observance in schools

What it asks

What the petitioner did first

1. 3 Sep 2013
   Public Petitions Committee

   New Petitions
   1 mention
2. 12 Nov 2013
   Public Petitions Committee

   Current Petitions
   1 mention
3. 28 Jan 2014
   Public Petitions Committee

   Current Petitions
   1 mention
4. 18 Mar 2014
   Public Petitions Committee

   Current Petitions
   2 mentions
5. 6 May 2014
   Education and Culture Committee

   Public Petitions
   1 mention

1. Scotland1,072 71.7%
2. United Kingdom115 7.7%
3. England94 6.3%
4. United States58 3.9%
5. Australia38 2.5%
6. Canada16 1.1%
7. Northern Ireland16 1.1%
8. New Zealand14 0.9%
9. Ireland13 0.9%
10. Wales6 0.4%
11. 32 other countries54 3.6%

1. ashish dahiya 2 Jun 2013
   this is child molestation it should not happen
2. Mattias Samuelsson 2 Jun 2013
   it's a disgrace, in this time and age that one has to opt out for something one has not chosen to take part of.. that you are automatically set up to take part of a religion, without even getting asked if it is what you want... it's a disgrace that people would shamelessly exploit this in order to "lure" kids into a religious belief system... it should be illegal, and it should be the complete other way around.. you should first get asked if you want to participate, nd hopefully not until you are old enough to make use of critical thinking so that you have a chance to reject it if it does not appear sound to you... imagine a different place where people that are religious are automatically set up to take part of something that is not part of their belief, or even the complete opposite of what they believe.. imagine how a christian would feel or react if he is without getting asked, set up as if he were a worshiper of satan, or any other fantasy character... that is exactly what is done to people who never asked for it, but that are expected to "opt out" ..it really is a shame and a disgrace, and i would expect more from a place in this part of the world.
3. Robert Canning 3 Jun 2013
   A teacher who tells atheist children to pray and worship is encouraging dishonesty.
4. Alistair 3 Jun 2013
   No single religion at school but a knowledge of all options and the main thrusts should be part of general knowledge.
5. Keith Charters 3 Jun 2013
   I have a simple test of fairness: turn things around. If they're still fair, fine. So let's apply this test. Assume all children are to be pro-actively taught that no gods exist. Religious parents can choose to have their children singled out to walk out of the class before the lesson, with everyone looking at them. Would religions think that was acceptable?
6. Ronnie 3 Jun 2013
   No place for fairy tales in modern society.
7. James Rigby 3 Jun 2013
   School are places of learning. By all means teach children about religion, but forcing them to take part in praise of a supernatural being who's existence is highly questionable has nothing to do with education at all, and everything to do with indoctrination. I hope that a progressive Scotland will act to ensure that only those children who's parents expressly permit it, are required to take part in these sessions.
8. Peter Hinchliffe 3 Jun 2013
   It should absolutely be an opt in if schools are going to be used as places of worship, there is no reason to presume it is alright to preach to children about any faith. Teach don't Preach.
9. Andrew Galea 3 Jun 2013
   why should an unfounded ideology, with a history of breeding violence, dishonesty and injustice, enjoy special privileges?
10. Norry Passway 3 Jun 2013
    Still recall the moment of clarity when, as a child in a church for a school service, I decided not to bow my head and pray
    - as we had all been led to do
    - and rather looked up and around and in silence observed for myself what was happening. I am completely in favour of RME, but would prefer RO was not part of school education. The faithful can pray in church or similiar institutions as appropriate. This petition however, is perhaps more likely to be successful.
11. Derek Mc Lellan 3 Jun 2013
    This is a progressive decision that acknowledges the rights of parents over their child's education. Parents of faith who have children can decide the level and what type of religious education their children receive. Likewise, parents of no faith can safeguard their children from enforced inculcation and proselytizing.
12. Stephen Calder 4 Jun 2013
    I've seen at first hand how invited visiting pastors and extremist sects can use school assemblies for their own ends
    - preaching eschatological nonsense and telling students they will be going to Hell if they don't follow their belief system and sect. It is clearly unregulated and can amount to propaganda and, at worst, serious abuse.
13. David Williams 4 Jun 2013
    I think it is outrageous that in a multicultural and secular society there should be any form of religious activity in schools.
14. Duncan Forbes 4 Jun 2013
    People should not be forced into being brainwashed by Religion, they should have a choice whether or not they want to take the class.
    
    As a child growing up in Scotland in the 80's and 90's both me and my brother were forced to sit through countless hours of Brainwashing in "Religious Studies" in Primary & Seconday school, even though we both had not interested in the fairy tail.
    
    Even if you said you were an Atheist in secondary school, you were still forced to attend these brainwashing sessions.
    
    And they were both Christian schools.
15. Islay Reid 4 Jun 2013
    Utterly ridiculous that you should have to opt out in this day and age. Forcing religion on children is child abuse.
16. Duncan Rd Woodward 4 Jun 2013
    Religious observance and indoctrination should be illegal in a any school and illegal to be taught to any minor. Its a disgrace that when all the evidence points to these bigoted ideologies being at the root of so much human suffering and for the most part totally fictitious. Mindless Medieval bull!
17. daniel brown 4 Jun 2013
    disgusting
18. Tom Young 4 Jun 2013
    It is important that children learn about religion but this should be in an unbiased way and all beliefs should be treated equally. Having any religious observance in this way amounts to endorsing one religion over another and is completely inappropriate in a secular country like Scotland.
19. Alan D. Duncan 4 Jun 2013
    I am an ex-pat Scot currently living in Australia. Scotland should be taking the lead on encouraging a secular society. Religion has no place in politics and should not be part of Scotland's enviable education system. Please act to remove the influence of religious bodies on all state-funded schools.
20. Robert J S Christie 4 Jun 2013
    The inculcation of faith in children is a matter for parents and should not be dependent on third parties.
21. Colin McLean 4 Jun 2013
    I think children should be taught about all religions and not just taught religion
22. Stuart Donohoe 4 Jun 2013
    Belief in religious nonsense is perpetuated through children being forced into it before they are able to make a rational decision for themselves. I feel that religious groups are aware of this and want to exploit the young and fertile minds of our most precious children to keep their little club going. Disgusting. get it out of our schools NOW.
23. Hannah Mostert 4 Jun 2013
    Please can you start a petition in South Africa, we need more voices here
24. Angela McLaren 4 Jun 2013
    There should be no RO in school, schools should be secular and Religious Educations should be non bais
25. Rory McLaren 4 Jun 2013
    No RO in schools
26. Donald Rintoul 4 Jun 2013
    Covering up the opt out certainly happened in my time at school in the 80s. I was brought up in a secular family and have always opposed religion being rammed down my throat. This of course brought me into conflict with the school authorities. Particularly when I tried to duck out. Considering one option for evading religious dogma was corporal punishment, I would consider that to be bullying.
    My school would have better used resources finding a repalcement maths teacher for the year we missed out, than chasing pupils who 'opted out' of the walk to church at every Christian holiday.
    It was unacceptable in the 80s to force people to participate in something they have no belief in. It is unacceptable now. Opting in would mean my experience would not be repeated.
27. Russell Freemantle 4 Jun 2013
    Religion should not be forced on anybody
28. William Graham 4 Jun 2013
    Take us out of the dark ages and stop this mumbo jumbo, please!
29. Iain Reid 4 Jun 2013
    We live in a country that our politicians say prides itself on its multiculturalism and freedoms. Why should children have to feel like pariahs because their parents are one of the few to actually go to the bother (or be aware of the right) of having them opt out? The state should not be forcing religious indoctrination on the youngest, most pliable minds in society in a place they are led to believe is a source of truth.
30. Mike Tanguay 4 Jun 2013
    Completely irresponsible to force upon humanity observance of a force that has raped the dignity of humanity. Stop this. The religious are free to observe freely and in peace, but why mandate that it must be "opted out?" Call me another stupid American, but I don't think you need a reason to opt out of listening to a lie.
31. Pauline Lynch 4 Jun 2013
    There are so many areas of life for children to learn about. Why, in an increasingly secular society, do schools waste time on religion? There are not enough hours. Choosing to take a child out of religious education stigmatises that child. The present system is unfair and unreasonable.
32. Bryan Jackson 4 Jun 2013
    Stop brainwashing kids
33. Laughlan Smith 4 Jun 2013
    Make it happen
34. Richard J Laing 4 Jun 2013
    Never believed in a system that tells people there is an invisible man in the sky. Teach kids anything other than that load of tripe
35. Franz Grimley 4 Jun 2013
    In this day and age no one should be compelled to do anything.
36. Duncan 4 Jun 2013
    The religious population in Scotland is an aging and increasingly irrelevant one. Religious observance should in no way still be the default position taught in schools. It's a backwards tradition and one that should end now.
37. Brian Smillie 4 Jun 2013
    Well done to Secular Scotland for raising this awareness .
38. Crawford Mackie 4 Jun 2013
    Personally I would go further. I don't want religion inflicted on children in schools even at their parents' wishes.
39. Graham Ramsay 4 Jun 2013
    Time to grow up and leave the fairy stories behind.
40. Aud 4 Jun 2013
    I was brought up in the sectarian atmosphere of west Scotland. The sooner all schools are secular the less hatred there will be.
41. Karen Kerr 4 Jun 2013
    I went to a school that taught religion, as if it were absolute fact, the ideas that were foisted on young minds, were often frightening, and damaging. I don't think that anyone, schools, parents or religious groups have the right to impose their beliefs on children. If adults choose to believe, that their choice, but they should be able to come to that decision, with a mature mind
42. Ron McPhee 4 Jun 2013
    And not afore time.
43. James Burgon 4 Jun 2013
    Teaching children about other peoples beliefs is an important and noble thing for the education system to do, but the state should be secular and faith personal. Pressuring a child into Christian worship is wrong, and though not the intent an opt-out system does just this.
44. Rosemary Sceats 4 Jun 2013
    I believe that religious indoctrination of children amounts to child abuse. Children should be taught critical, evidence-based thinking, not brainwashed with ancient, irrational superstition. They should be free to make up their own minds about what they believe, and what is even believable. Young children subjected to religious indoctrination are incapable of this.
45. Hazel Lewry 4 Jun 2013
    I'd prefer no religion in school
    - full stop! Leave the brainwashing and indoctrination to the family, if they can be bothered.
46. Pat Crawford 4 Jun 2013
    The practice of religion is not an appropriate activity for schools to impose on pupils.
    
    Exploring world religions (including a study of atheism and agnostcism) is perfectly appropriate but it must be facilitated in an unbiased and open manner.
47. Alan McBroom 4 Jun 2013
    Education proves religion is a load of rubbish, so why mix the two.
48. Vikki 4 Jun 2013
    I would like to opt out, but I don't know of any parents who do (regardless of their beliefs) so I don't want my children to have to be treated differently. I'd rather there wasn't religious observation at all.
49. Kate Joester 4 Jun 2013
    Opting out of something you aren't actually told will happen
    - and try getting accurate information out of a four-year-old about what goes on at school
    - is not an appropriate level of choice.
50. Eve Morris 4 Jun 2013
    As a Jewish child, I was compelled to attend Christian worship at my school and always found it profoundly uncomfortable. It was the beginning of a system which Othered people from non-Christian faiths. I am now an atheist, and I still find the idea that this secular country compels children to join in religious worship appalling.