Discrimination claim as Cumbrian school students told to attend carol service
Last updated at 11:37, Monday, 21 December 2009
A group of sixth-formers claim they were discriminated against after their request to miss the school carol service for religious reasons was denied.
The group of seven sixth-formers at the Nelson Thomlinson School, Wigton, wanted to abstain from the carol service because of their strong atheist views.
But, when they submitted a letter to their head of sixth form, Ian Downes, asking to be allowed to spend the time catching up on coursework, they say they were met with “criticism”.
Jamie Leather, 17, one of the students involved, said: “We were not being rude, we were simply asking that we didn’t want to take part and could we spend the two hours catching up on coursework.
“But it was responded to with criticism, and we all got called in [to see the head], and the school called our parents saying we were being disrespectful so we were forced to go. It just feels discriminatory and like we are not really valued.”
The annual sixth-form carol service was held on Friday at St Mary’s Church in the town.
Jamie claims that he doesn’t feel “comfortable” going into church, and said many of the others involved in the letter – from both the upper and lower sixth form – feel that their views are not being recognised because they are not part of a “well-known” religion.
He said: “A lot of them don’t follow known religions but they don’t want to sit through a two-hour Christian service. We are non-believers who are being forced to go.”
However, in a statement Janet Downes, the school’s headteacher, said that “no-one was forced to do anything against their wishes.”
Mrs Downes said: “We always respect parental wishes and as this request had not come from parents, our deputy head started to contact the parents. Four of those parents were surprised and advised us that their son/daughter should go to the carol service.
“One confirmed that they didn’t want their son/daughter to go and we couldn’t make contact with the other two. As a result four students went to the carol service and the other three remained in school. We didn’t make anyone do anything against their wishes.”
First published at 11:24, Monday, 21 December 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
These kids need to loose the arrogance. Would they boycot a brother or sisters church wedding or stage a protest over a nephews christening because they hold different views. The modern church is a get believer in a sense of community which as a non believer I would have to agree with. I go to the odd carol service for the vibe not because I'm a believer but I am always welcome and I respect the fact that others have their views and the fact that I may learn something. The kids are entitled to their views but it seems they lack the maturity to see the bigger picture. They go to school to learn - loose the arrogance and petulance and go and learn.
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Catsar Setofire, you've missed the point completey. They did want to learn, going to a carol service isn't educational in any sense, other than learning how silly the nativity story is once you're older than 8.
They actually offered to do school work instead.This is all about forcing people to do religious things they don't believe in - going to a wedding or christening is optional, no one is forcing them. That's the difference.Posted by Nathan on 23 January 2010 at 12:23