Religious observance opt-out for pupils

A consultation is to be held on whether older pupils should be allowed to opt themselves out of religious observance in schools, the BBC has learned.
All young people in Scotland need parental permission to withdraw from religious activities like assemblies.
The Humanist Society of Scotland (HSS) was seeking a judicial review of that policy for older pupils.
In the United Kingdom & Scotland which considered to be one of the most Democratic regions in the world .
But the is in fact an undercurrent of what goes on in our education /health & other systems that when we look deeper it is not as free & Democratic as the politicians in power would lead us to believe .

The Scottish government is now to consider revising guidance to head teachers.
Religious observance must take place in Scottish schools at least six times a year.
In England and Wales, sixth form pupils - normally aged between 16 and 18 - have the right to make their own decision about opting out.

The HHS called for older pupils in Scotland to be given the same right.
It came after a report by the UN committee on the rights of the child highlighted the fact that children in Scotland were not able to legally withdraw from religious observance

It recommended that laws requiring compulsory attendance at religious worship were scrapped.
At that time, the Scottish government ruled out a review of the policy.
This prompted the HSS to take a legal challenge to the Court of Session, arguing that the government may have acted unlawfully by refusing to ensure their guidance remains in line with international humans rights law.
The Humanist Society Scotland are bringing these facts to the surface of people for them to know the full facts .

Rev Dr Richard Frazer, convener of its church and society council, added: "The point is that you wouldn't give children the opt-out from mathematics or English.
"There are certain important lessons that we need to learn in society. And I suppose the Church of Scotland's perspective is that learning about other faiths, about how people live their lives, is important."
Barbara Coupar, from the Scottish Catholic Education Service, said: "It's recognised that when parents choose to send their children to a Catholic school they are choosing to send them to a school which is based on the heritage and traditions of the Catholic church.
To be in the way of giving both opinions here 2 points from Religious leaders .
On the first point from Dr Richard Frazer why would a parent want their child to opt out of mathematics or English when these grades are required for the workplace where as the religious teachings are not so compulsory for life & earning potential.
Also when our daughter went to a Catholic school the Religious Education curriculum was only from the Catholic perspective .Which of course is not in my opinion teaching a very tolerant attitude to other faiths & people .
On the second point from Barbara Coupar : The local authorities do in fact make addresses catchment orientated to various schools .For example if you live within a certain distance from a school you are expected to go to that school

The debate no doubt will go on & on but in recent years a far larger percentage of people in today's society are in fact opting themselves as families out of going regularly to Church service .So in daily life the value of religious aspects or teachings within the framework of modern society is being diluted .