Scotland: Humanists go on offensive

Humanists are calling out Scottish schools for what they allege is Christian bias and a lack of inclusivity in religious observance (RO) in state schools.

In a new report, titled “Preaching is Not Teaching,” the Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) claims that schools fail to provide adequate transparency on RO to parents and carers – and can be hostile to humanist, atheist, agnostic, or other non-religious worldviews, it is alleged.

“In some non-denominational schools, RO is still solely delivered in a confessional manner by Christian clergy,” says the report. “Assemblies are often held in church and involve religious worship, prayer, and hymns. Schools also frequently incorporate religious elements into whole-school ‘celebrating success’ assemblies.”