Faith representatives will no longer have a vote on the running of faith schools
A vote held today by councillors of the City of Edinburgh Council has stopped Catholic and other Christian faith schools from voting on matters relating to them. The vote, held on Thursday 31 st August, of the ‘Education, Children and Families Committee’ had been delayed but finally went ahead.
The vote comes after a similar vote over in Fife in June, when the decision was narrowly reached to take religious figures off the Education Committee. Similar action is being lodged in the Orkney Islands.
There are 15 Catholic primary school in the City and three high schools.
Speaking in the leadup to the vote, the Catholic Archbishop Leo Cushley said ‘It is only right and just, that we retain, not a veto, not a special voice, not special treatment, but simply an active voice in council’. From the Church of Scotland, the minster of Morningside Parish Church Derek Browning said ‘It is with considerable regret that we find it hard not to see this matter as a thin end of a wedge whose aim is to remove representation all together’
Speaking in the leadup to the vote, the Catholic Archbishop Leo Cushley said ‘It is only right and just, that we retain, not a veto, not a special voice, not special treatment, but simply an active voice in council’. From the Church of Scotland, the minster of Morningside Parish Church Derek Browning said ‘It is with considerable regret that we find it hard not to see this matter as a thin end of a wedge whose aim is to remove representation all together’
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh spoke of the ‘clear and troubling message’ sent by the decision, undoing a long-standing partnership between local government and faith communities.
Historically, the Catholic Church has played a long role in education in Scotland – many were transferred in the hands of the state with the 1918 Education Act, which gave the Church the right to keep their schools Christian teachings and to vet staff based on their belief in Catholic doctrine.
The bill comes at a time when faith schools are increasingly under pressure on liberal issues – new guidance on supporting transgender students was published a few months back, and LGBT+ affirming teaching is becoming more and more mainstream.
The bill comes at a time when faith schools are increasingly under pressure on liberal issues – new guidance on supporting transgender students was published a few months back, and LGBT+ affirming teaching is becoming more and more mainstream.
