LGCM calls for amendments to Government Equality  (14 June 2005)


It is unacceptable that faith schools should be allowed legally to harass or discriminate against their pupils on grounds of their belief when other schools will be barred from doing so. Steps must also be taken to enforce the adoption of anti-bullying principles and codes by such schools - including on grounds of the sufferer’s supposed or actual sexual orientation, says Revd. Richard Kirker, General Secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) today.

The Government’s Equality Bill, which goes to its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 15 June 2005, contains a special Part to protect people from discrimination and harassment on grounds of any religious or non-religious belief. It will be unlawful to deny anyone access to goods, services or facilities on such grounds. But while other schools will have to observe the new law, religious organisations themselves, and especially “faith schools”, will not be bound by them.

“Harassment” is defined as acts taken on grounds of religion or belief which violate a person’s dignity, or which create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the recipient. “Discrimination” includes schools denying a pupil access to benefits, facilities or services, exclusion, or subjecting him or her to “any other detriment”.

LGCM is calling for removal of the let-out on harassment and discrimination against any pupil actually admitted to faith schools, while leaving unchanged their right to discriminate on admission itself. “No child should be subject to intimidation, degradation, hostility or violation of his or her dignity on grounds of belief or for any other reason”, said Revd. Kirker.

LGCM is also calling for schools to be bound under the new law not to allow harassment and bullying by fellow-pupils of those holding a belief at odds with those of the school authorities. They are concerned especially for those who discover that they are gay or lesbian and reject school views about their sexuality. “There are far too many cases where such vulnerable pupils are pressured into self-loathing as a result of narrow fundamentalist beliefs held by the school authorities, and even more where such pupils are subjected to violence and bullying by fellow-pupils, without any restraint by those running their school”, said Revd. Kirker.

LGCM is circulating a Briefing Note among members of the Lords and will continue to pursue these issues when the measure goes to the Commons.

ENDS

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