from Christian Concern
Head of Education Steve Beegoo responds to the potential for paganism and witchcraft to be included in children’s Religious Education lessons
Religious Education (RE) organisations and Christian teachers have become deeply disturbed by the drafting processes for the new National Curriculum for schools in England and the proposed content of Paganism and even Witchcraft. They have also been shocked by the media messaging that a ‘consensus’ has been reached across religious groups, regarding changes to the statutory subject where Christianity currently remains as the principal area of study in English schools.
New centralised approach
The content of RE has historically been overseen by the Local Authority, local churches, teachers and religious groups. But the new National Curriculum will specify what is taught in RE and could change forever what’s left of Christian teaching in state schools.
It could also result in the introduction of an entirely new approach to RE; an approach based upon ‘personal worldviews’, and which could include the prioritisation of any broad belief system to be taught to children. There is much at stake.
Yet those involved in teaching RE, following the Francis review of the National Curriculum, seem to have been significantly alarmed by what has occurred. Those who have been directly involved are now breaking their silence. They do not agree that a consensus has been reached by any stretch of the imagination. They are concerned at the lack of a democratic process which has normally been the modus operandi for Religious Education, which could lead to increasingly inappropriate RE for children. In my role on the committee of Religious Education Network (REN) I have also been able to stay in touch with these developments and have noted the deep concerns of those involved.
