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Tell us your experiences of “inclusive and objective” religious worship in Scottish schools

June 16, 2025

Education

The Scottish government recently tabled a bill on religious worship. But it does not give young people to right to opt themselves out of RO, contravening UN guidance. Help us build the case against compulsory religious observance.

Everyone is free to choose their own religion or belief. Yet young people in Scotland can still be forced to participate in collective worship and prayers at school. We think that school pupils mature enough to know they don’t believe in a god should be given the choice to opt out of religious observance (worship). And we’re not the only ones. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Scottish Children’s Commissioner, and the children’s rights charity Together Scotland all support a pupil opt-out from religious observance.

The Scottish government recently tabled a bill making changes to religious worship. Bizarrely, it would allow religious pupils to participate in collective worship against their parent’s wishes, but non-religious pupils would still need their parent’s permission if they want to withdraw.

Of course, young people of faith should be able to attend religious worship regardless of their parents’ views. But to deny the equivalent right to non-religious young people creates obvious inequality, discriminating against non-religious pupils.

That’s where you come in.

The government argues there is no need to give young people the right to opt themselves out, as religious observance is “inclusive, objective and pluralistic”. But they haven’t provided a single piece of evidence for this. We know, for example, that in non-denominational schools religious observance is almost exclusively Christian.

So, if you have recent experience of religious observance in school – as a pupil, parent, teacher or member of a school community – please get in touch with your story at campaigns@humanism.scot. We will respect the confidentiality of all communications.

We know that personal stories can be extremely effective in changing minds. And we need your help to make the case that religious observance is not being delivered inclusively in schools.

EMAIL CAMPAIGNS@HUMANISM.SCOT WITH YOUR STORY

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