Category: Education

2023 in campaigns
January 27, 2023
2023 looks set be a pivotal year for humanism in Scotland. We look forward to the passing of a law to protect women from harassment outside abortion clinics and we hope that new rules will follow to ensure dignity in…

Herald exposé of anti-abortion campaign in Scottish schools
December 19, 2022
An expose by The Herald newspaper uncovered how extensive access is given to anti-abortion group SPUC in Scottish schools.

My Beliefs, My Choice
In Scotland children and young people have no right to opt themselves out of acts of religious observance at school. We call on the Scottish Government to make all religious observance in Scottish schools opt in.

Fair School Votes
In Scotland the law requires that each council reserves three seats for local church leaders on their education committee. These seats are unelected and in most areas full voting rights are conferred on the seat holders. We think this is wrong.

Humanists call for bold action on children’s rights in Scotland
May 24, 2022
After John Swinney MSP made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the future of the UNCRC bill and vowed to ‘bold’ on children’s rights in Scotland, Humanist Society Scotland have questioned why progress has been glacial on reforms highlighted to be needed by the committee.

We urge local councils to scrap church voting rights
May 11, 2022
We have written to all of Scotland’s local councils urging them to end voting rights for non-elected church representatives sitting on local education committees.

A letter from Scotland’s children and young people
April 29, 2022
Young Humanist Scotland Ambassadors sign joint letter to local council candidates ahead of the upcoming local elections that identifies six key areas of concern for Scotland’s children and young people.

Non-religious people encouraged to ‘be honest’ about their beliefs in 2022 Census
March 9, 2022
New research carried out by YouGov published today by Humanist Society Scotland reveals how the 2022 Scottish census is potentially expected to show a vast decline in religious identity when compared to the 2011 census. The poll findings reveal how…

New education resources for schools
March 6, 2020
Humanist Society Scotland has launched a new set of educational resources designed to match the Higher and National 5 RMPS curriculum. The resources cover a humanist approach to a number of moral and ethical questions including assisted dying, justice, relationships,…

Time to reflect on children’s freedom of belief in Schools
January 19, 2020
Humanist Society Scotland is calling on headteachers across the country to reflect on World Religion Day (19th January) as to how they meet their pupils’ UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) Article 14 rights. Article 14…

Edinburgh Council delays decision on religious votes over schools
August 22, 2019
Edinburgh Council was due to take the decision on whether to maintain the unique position of certain faith groups on how the city’s schools are run. However, after debate, the council decided to delay the decision until November. The failure…