National Secular SocietyConsultation on education reforms opportunity to introduce specific protections against evangelism, NSS tells Senedd committee.





The National Secular Society has urged a Senedd committee to introduce greater protections for pupils from evangelism, including an explicit prohibition on the promotion of creationism.

The Children, Young People and Education Committee is reviewing the implementation of two recent acts which reformed education in Wales.

Responding to a consultation by the committee, the NSS said the recent case of evangelism at a nonreligious school in Powys demonstrated the need for a specific ban on promoting creationism in schools.

Teaching creationism as fact is not legal in schools in England, but no such prohibitions exist in Wales.

Last year, the NSS uncovered evidence creationism was being promoted by Llanidloes High School's headteacher Dan Owen, with large wall displays combining science and geography content with quotes from the Bible.

The evangelical 'Alpha' course was also promoted by teachers, and bible verses included on student planners.

The NSS highlighted how Owen explicitly justified his campaign of evangelism on the basis that schools must hold daily acts of 'broadly Christian' worship. The NSS added the case was "one of many" where collective worship laws open the door to evangelism.

Continue @ NSS.

Protect Pupils From Creationism, NSS Urges Welsh Committee

National Secular SocietyConsultation on education reforms opportunity to introduce specific protections against evangelism, NSS tells Senedd committee.





The National Secular Society has urged a Senedd committee to introduce greater protections for pupils from evangelism, including an explicit prohibition on the promotion of creationism.

The Children, Young People and Education Committee is reviewing the implementation of two recent acts which reformed education in Wales.

Responding to a consultation by the committee, the NSS said the recent case of evangelism at a nonreligious school in Powys demonstrated the need for a specific ban on promoting creationism in schools.

Teaching creationism as fact is not legal in schools in England, but no such prohibitions exist in Wales.

Last year, the NSS uncovered evidence creationism was being promoted by Llanidloes High School's headteacher Dan Owen, with large wall displays combining science and geography content with quotes from the Bible.

The evangelical 'Alpha' course was also promoted by teachers, and bible verses included on student planners.

The NSS highlighted how Owen explicitly justified his campaign of evangelism on the basis that schools must hold daily acts of 'broadly Christian' worship. The NSS added the case was "one of many" where collective worship laws open the door to evangelism.

Continue @ NSS.

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