Edinburgh Secular Society (ESS) has presented its case for the removal of unelected religious representatives on local authority education committees [equivalent to Standing Advisory Councils o RE (SACRE) in England] to the Scottish Government's Petitions Committee. They are seeking to repeal this iniquitous aspect of local government law whilst pointing to recent Scottish census results, which show nearly half of Scots say they have no religious belief.
John Finnie Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) submitted a Private Member's Bill in the Scottish Parliament seeking to abolish this outdated privilege. His bill would make local government more accountable and transparent to the electorate.
Both the ESS petition and John Finnie's bill have drawn fierce opposition from the churches, anxious to retain historic privileges in an increasingly secular Scotland. This particular privilege dates back to 1872 when responsibility for schools was taken by the state from churches and others, such as private benefactors and philanthropic societies, but as part of this deal the churches were still granted a say in the education system by having right to appoint these representatives.
"The current position, whereby religious representatives are appointed to all 32 local authority education committees in Scotland, is untenable in a democratic society. These individuals are not elected, but have full voting rights and are merely nominated by their respective religious organisations.
They are accountable only to their respective religious organisations and cannot be voted out by the public".
The ESS presentation stated that the reform would enhance local accountability by removing a privilege that is inherently and profoundly undemocratic.
Mr McBay commented: "If this MSP is correct in his assertion, it demonstrates that an active sectarianism is not the sole province of football supporters in Glasgow but practised by the churches themselves in local government committees, and in relation to the education of Scotland's children".
Commenting on the petition, Colin Emerson, ESS Vice-chair said: "To afford a particular section of society a privileged position within the decision making process of local government, based solely on their particular and personal religious beliefs, is profoundly and inherently undemocratic, unfair and discriminatory. It strikes against those specific virtues of justice and integrity underpinning our society and which lie at the heart of the Scottish Parliament".
edited from http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2014/01/edinburgh-secularists-challenge-religious-privilege-in-scotlands-education-system
