Richard Dawkins - Author of the Year - The God Delusion

Dawkins wins 'Author of the Year': more information & Video of Presentation Ceremony:

Sir Peter Vardy & David Vardy - 'academy' sponsored by fundamentalist Christians

What a creation ...

When Doncaster's mayor and the Labour council wanted to replace a local comprehensive with a new 'academy' sponsored by fundamentalist Christians known to have the enthusiastic backing of Tony Blair, two mothers began a parents' revolt. John Harris reports on an unexpected outcome

Saturday January 15, 2005
The Guardian

Tracy Morton and Kay Wilkinson, from Conisbrough, a sometime mining community not far from Doncaster, have been engaged in a passionate fight against the government, Doncaster's elected Labour mayor and Sir Peter Vardy, a man recently described by the Times Education Supplement as a "Christian fundamentalist car dealer". Their battleground: a schools policy to which the government now pledges heartfelt allegiance, namely the replacement of "bog-standard comprehensives" with the gleaming new creations known as "academies".

In 2001, Northcliffe was inspected by Ofsted and credited with being "a good and improving school". Both that year and the next, the DfES gave Northcliffe a School Achievement Award. In 2003, the school's pupils produced the best SATs and GCSE results in its history. Three months later, however, Northcliffe was placed in Special Measures by the Schools Inspectorate - the category denotes a school that is "failing or likely to fail to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education".

"When we got the report, and we read it, we were just like, 'What school are they on about?'" said Kay. "'Are they really on about Northcliffe?'"

"It was really contradictory," said Tracy. "On the one hand, they were saying the head was providing good leadership, and he'd got the support and loyalty of his staff. But on the other hand, there were faults in his vision and forward planning. They said that the standard of teaching was too low; ridiculously low. Relative to two years previous, it just seemed to have plummeted. So it was quite a shock: it had just got its best ever GCSE results - and it was being put in Special Measures. I was stunned."

Five months after that, Doncaster's local education authority (LEA) unveiled plans to replace Northcliffe with an academy run by a charitable organisation called the Vardy Foundation. The announcement appeared in the pages of the Doncaster Free Press. "The idea was to catch the wave and say, 'You've got a failing school, but look - we're going to give you £23m and a lovely new school,'" said Tracy. "And a lot of people were like, 'Wow - wonderful.' But the paper was also canny enough to say the school would be run by evangelical Christian sponsors."

Academies, initially known as City Academies, were publicly rolled out in 2000 by David Blunkett, who aimed to use them to replace schools that were either in Special Measures or deemed to be "underachieving". Four years later, the government planted the idea at the core of its education platform for the general election, announcing plans to open up to 200. The idea is roughly this: for a fee of £2m - payable in random instalments - private benefactors are handed effective control of brand new state schools, although the taxpayer meets the lion's share of both building and running costs (which tend to involve an initial sum of at least £20m, and annual payments of around £5m). The relatively small size of their contribution has little bearing on the sponsors' clout: they can appoint the majority of the school's governors and thereby have the crucial say in the appointment of senior management, and shape the school's practices without having to worry about the national curriculum. Stranger still, academies are not bound by national agreements on teachers' pay and conditions.

Among those who had got in early was Sir Peter Vardy, a millionaire car dealer and evangelist from Durham. Under the auspices of the Thatcher government's not entirely dissimilar City Technology Colleges Programme, his Vardy Foundation, run by his brother David, had already seen to the opening of a school called Emmanuel College in Gateshead. Thanks to the City Academies initiative, September 2003 marked the arrival of a second school, the King's Academy in Middlesbrough. The following March, it was ceremonially opened by none other than Tony Blair, who was presented with a Middlesbrough FC shirt bearing his surname. Two weeks later, he enthused about his visit during prime minister's question time. "There is nothing more inspiring," he said, "particularly when one knew the old school that the King's Academy replaced, than to see the brand new buildings, the total commitment of the teachers and staff, and the pupils there eager to learn."

Both Vardy schools certainly lie some distance from the underachieving, anarchic stereotype with which the government maligns the old comprehensive ideal. Buttoned-up, disciplinarian, characterised by an almost corporate efficiency, they outwardly suggest enviable success: every year since 1996, for example, Emmanuel College's GCSE results have put it in the top 12 nonselective British state schools.

Unfortunately, that's only half the story. Vardy's Christian beliefs are shared by John Burn, sometime head of Emmanuel College and now education adviser to the Vardy Foundation, and Nigel McQuoid, principal at the King's Academy. Papers they have co-authored give a flavour of their stance: "If relativist philosophy is acceptable, then sadomasochism, bestiality and self-abuse are to be considered as wholesome activities," runs one. "It is very important that young people begin to realise that activities which are 'private and personal' often degrade oneself and are not necessarily good and acceptable." By way of clarifying the latter position, McQuoid recently told the Observer that "the Bible says clearly that homosexual activity is against God's design. I would indicate that to young folk."

Most notoriously, Vardy schools accord equal importance to both creationism and theories of evolution. According to McQuoid, though state schools are required to teach evolutionary theory, "also, schools should teach the creation theory as literally depicted in Genesis". The 300-year reign of the enlightenment apparently counts for very little: in his view, creation and evolution are both "faith positions". Blair, it should be noted, has claimed to have no problem with such a stance. In 2002, when asked by the Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Tonge if he was happy about creationism being taught alongside evolution in state schools, he replied, "I am very happy. I know that the honourable lady is referring to a school in the north-east [ie, Emmanuel College], and I think that certain reports about what it has been teaching are somewhat exaggerated. It would be very unfortunate if concerns about that issue were seen to remove the very strong incentive to ensure that we get as diverse a school system as we properly can."

After Emmanuel College and the King's Academy, the Vardy Foundation - in concert with Doncaster's mayor, Martin Winter, and the council - had proposed the opening of a third school in Thorne, a small town 20 minutes' drive from Conisbrough. Government approval of the scheme arrived in January 2004: David Miliband, the schools minister, told the Yorkshire Post he was sure it would result in "a successful and popular school [that] will do much to improve opportunities for the young people it serves".

By June 2003, Doncaster's authorities had drawn the consultation process to a close. Local people, according to a council spokesman, had "been given ample opportunity to voice any concerns". In vain, Brookes told local reporters that "these plans have been swift, some might say too swift" and sounded a note of alarm about the Vardy Foundation's motives and beliefs: "To me, they are using their £2m input to buy into children's minds." A local independent councillor named Martin Williams, however, was having none of it. "This cannot be a bad thing for the area," he said. "As far as the religious aspect goes, I don't think it will be brainwashing the children. Pupils are intelligent enough to make up their own minds at that age."

"There was a line of men in suits," said Tracy. "John Burn was there. David Vardy, Peter Vardy's brother, came to the parents' one. There were representatives of the City Academies programme from the DfES, various lawyers, and Mark Eales, the Doncaster director of education. And our local councillors would sit at the back saying very little indeed."

"If you asked a question, even if the panel said, 'I don't know', you weren't allowed to make another point," said Kay. "There wasn't any consulting," added Tracy. "Nobody asked us anything: 'What do you think of this? What would your preferred options be?' We were not consulted."

When parents asked Burn about creationism, he appeared baffled ("He just said, 'I don't know what you mean by creationism.' He asked us what it was"). At the parents' consultation meeting, Tracy quoted a speech Burn had given in which he had said that teachers at Vardy schools should be "full-time Christian workers"; he told her that it was a personal view not necessarily reflected in the Foundation's plans for Conisbrough and Denaby. "At the first parents' meeting," Kay recalled, "somebody asked David Vardy why they were contributing only £2m while the government put in so much more. And he said, 'Well, I can always take my money elsewhere. I can go and buy myself a yacht.'"

"John Burn began his answer by saying, 'Well, we think it's a sin,'" the teacher told me. "When the staff gasped, he tried to broaden his response by saying that they believed in including everyone, and they had people working in their schools of the Christian faith, other faiths, and no faith - no one would be excluded on the grounds of faith. Then the guy who had asked it was cut off by the chair of the meeting. But we had follow-up questions, distributed around the staff. They were along the lines of, 'You seem to have made up your minds about which staff members are sinful and which aren't. How far does that extend? We have Muslim teachers on our staff. What about them?' Burn said, 'I don't think that's something we need to discuss at this point.' He fudged it."

For all their resolve, I wondered how Kay and Tracy viewed the prospect of Northcliffe's closure, and their kids' induction into the world of the Vardy Foundation. "That is very frightening," said Tracy. "I can't even think about it. I can't bear the thought of my daughter sitting in the classroom being taught by someone who's trying to lace her education with these extreme kind of Christian ideologies. It horrifies me."

© John Harris, 2005. This is an edited extract from So Now Who Do We Vote For? by John Harris, to be published by Faber on January 20 at £7.99.

reposted from: Guardian
my: highlights / emphasis / key points / comments

Sir Peter Vardy

Wikipedia article: Sir Peter Vardy is a successful British businessman from Durham specialising in the automotive retail business. He appeared in the Sunday Times Rich List 2004. He is one of the UK's most generous philantrhopists, via the Vardy Foundation. Vardy took control of the car dealership Reg Vardy plc in 1976, after the death of the founder. Vardy has funded the building of a number of City Academies. The bulk of these form the Emmanuel Schools Foundation, a coalition of Christian schools based in the north of England. These are run as part of the mainstream of England secondary school education, and in some cases were formed by taking over schools that had low performance previously. This is part of a wider trend: church schools have a long track record in the UK of achievement and are usually over-subsribed, and successive governments have encouraged their growth. However in the case of the Emmanuel schools, despite their obvious success, some have voiced concern over the apparent promotion in such schools of doctrines such as creationism.

There have been a number of media reports about this issue - for example ^[2] that Vardy rejects the theory of evolution in favour of creationism. However, in an interview with the BBC Today Program^[3], broadcast 15th April 2006, Sir Peter pointed out that he did not hold fundamental creationist beliefs stating, "I believe that God created the earth and created man in his own image, quite how long it took him I don't know". He claimed to exert no influence over the curriculum of the schools he sponsors beyond insisting on a "chrisitan ethos" and that he would be concerned if creationism was taught as fact in his schools. Vardy complained that a comment made 5 years ago in which he intended to convey only a belief in a "creator God" rather than a literal belief in the bible creation stories, had been mis-interpreted and blown out of proportion by the media.

1. ^ BBC Article announcing Vardy's Honour, 15 June, 2001. [1]
2. ^ The Guardian discusses Vardy's plans to teach creationism in UK schools, 15th January, 2005. [2]
3. ^ Interview (RealAudio stream), BBC Today Program, 15th April 2006. [3]

Ringwood School RE Policy

During key stage 3 students will learn about Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. There are opportunities for students to learn more about a religion of their choice in one module where students work independently. In key stage 4 some students opt for GCSE RS and when there is demand short course RE is offered too. All students have core RE as part of their social education programme.

Welcome to the Religious Education department at Ringwood School

What is RE?

RE at Ringwood School follows the Hampshire locally agreed syllabus, ‘Living Difference.’ Students have opportunities to learn about living faiths and how people following different beliefs actually live them out. In doing this students will appreciate how and why people live differently from each other.

We aim to encourage students to:

1. have REspect for other people’s ideas
2. compaRE religions
3. interpREt art, history, politics - religion affects them all!
4. REspond to religion in their own way
5. REsearch what other people believe and why
6. expREss their own opinions and beliefs and share them with others
7. search for the sacREd side of life

We support students in the development of their own values and principles and in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

http://www.ringwood.hants.sch.uk/?area=Global%20Interactions&subject=RE

GSUS Live comes to Ringwood school - attempts to indoctrinate my daugter

On 29th March my daughter attended a 45 minute lesson by Christian Evangelists GSUS Live (website) at Ringwood School, Hampshire.

Our permission for her attending this event was never requested by Ringwood School.

I will be investigating why parents were not told that their children were to attend.

COUNTIES are Christian Evangelists. A Trustee is David Vardy, Sir Peter Vardy's brother (Guardian), a man recently described by the Times Education Supplement as a "Christian fundamentalist car dealer".

The GSUS Live trailer is a purpose built mobile classroom which introduces Jesus' teachings on the themes of Fear, Forgiveness, and Rejection - Walk Through the trailer


Make a list of the things for which you might need forgiveness.

Who do you think you need to go to, to say "I'm sorry?" The person you hurt? God?

Is there anything you can do to put things right?

Forgiveness is a difficult subject - that's why Jesus had so much to say about it. He knew that forgiveness is not only impotant for the person who receives it but also to the person who gives it.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/ben/learn/index.html

You Will Be Forgiven

	"Forgive and you will be forgiven." - Jesus speaking in Luke 6:37
	The standard that we use for others is the one which will be be used for you. If we are unwiling to forgive other people, then we will be unable to accept forgiveness for the things we do wrong.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/ben/learn/youreforgiven.html

Keep On Forgiving

	Forgive... "not seven times, but seventy-seven times" - Jesus speaking in Luke 6:37
	Forgiveness should have no limits. No matter how often we say it, we should never come to an end of saying, "I forgive you."

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/ben/learn/keepforgiving.html

God's Forgiveness

	"As far as the east is from the west, so far has God taken our wrong from us." - Psalm 103:12
	When we begin to understand how God is willing to forgive us, we begin to see how we can forgive others. Forgiveness is one of the great gifts that God offers to those who go to Him.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/ben/learn/godsforgiveness.html

Trust In Christ

	Millions of Christians round the world have trusted Jesus Christ for guidance, love, friendship, forgiveness, and purpose.
	You can discover more about Him by reading the Bible. Might we suggest that you start by turning to Mark or Luke - two books in the Bible about Jesus. You'll find them towards the back of the Bible. Please e-mail us with any questions you have about GSUS Live or about the Christian faith. We really want to hear from you.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/ben/learn/trustjesus.html

Make a list of the type of people who may suffer from rejection or bullying.

Have you or are you being bullied or rejected? Where do you go for help? http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/jack/learn/index.html

Jesus Knows Rejection

If you are feeling rejected, you're not alone. God's Son, Jesus Christ also experienced incredible rejection.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/jack/learn/rejection.html

Jesus Knows Rejection: Time For The Outsider

	Jesus had time for those who were on the fringes of society. He went out of His way to meet a lonely 'foreign' woman who no-one else had time for. He touched a man with a dreaded skin disease. He knew how important it is to give time to those who feel rejected or bullied.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/jack/learn/timeforoutsider.html

Jesus Knows Rejection: Alone

	When being executed, Jesus was rejected by society and was abandoned by many of His friends. He was even 'God forsaken'! This means Jesus fully understands what it's like to be alone and can help us when we feel on the outside.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/jack/learn/alone.html

Trust In Christ

	Millions of Christians round the world have trusted Jesus Christ for guidance, love, friendship, forgiveness, and purpose.
	You can discover more about Him by reading the Bible. Might we suggest that you start by turning to Mark or Luke - two books in the Bible about Jesus. You'll find them towards the back of the Bible. Please e-mail us with any questions you have about GSUS Live or about the Christian faith. We really want to hear from you.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/jack/learn/trustjesus.html

FEAR

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/kylie/story/scene1.html

Make a list of the things that scare you.

Do they scare you because:

It's out of your control?
You've never experienced it before?
You HAVE experienced it before?
- or is there another reason?

Some people can handle their fear quite well. Most of us would handle our fears better if we had someone to help us.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/kylie/learn/index.html

Jesus Knew Fear: Fear of Being Alone

	When Jesus was arrested, all of Jesus' friends ran away leaving Him to face an uncertain future alone. Jesus knows what it's like to be afraid and alone, so He can understand our fears and help us if we want Him to.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/kylie/learn/fearofalone.html

Jesus Knew Fear: Fear of the Future

	When being executed, Jesus knew real fear but He was able to trust someone. Jesus said 'Father I give myself into your hands'! Jesus knows what it's like to be afraid, so He can help us when we're afraid.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/kylie/learn/fearoffuture.html

Trust In Christ

	Millions of Christians round the world have trusted Jesus Christ for guidance, love, friendship, forgiveness, and purpose.
	You can discover more about Him by reading the Bible. Might we suggest that you start by turning to Mark or Luke - two books in the Bible about Jesus. You'll find them towards the back of the Bible. Please e-mail us with any questions you have about GSUS Live or about the Christian faith. We really want to hear from you.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/students/kylie/learn/trustjesus.html


The GSUS Live project is run by .

Trailer Diary - 26th February – St Peters Lower School 2nd March – The Grange School 9th March – Highcliffe School 16th March – Ringwood School 23rd March - The Arnewood School

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/general/index.html

GSUS Live is a resource that is available to secondary schools. The aim of GSUS Live is to show that Jesus is relevant today.

There are two mobile classrooms with a fully functioning multimedia computer suite as the core of the hardware. They are designed to take classes of up to 32 Key Stage 3 pupils for a 45 to 60 minute lesson and will provide a stimulating environment in which they can investigate Jesus' teachings on Forgiveness, Fear, and Rejection.

Each session begins with a scene setting 3D video sequence - special glasses provided!

A presenter gives basic instructions about the use of the computer program, and then the students will be on their own! The program has been designed in such a way as to allow the freedom to explore without losing the desire to progress further.

After the independent learning session, where students have investigated their choice of topic (Forgiveness, Fear, or Rejection) they will be provided with a printed outline of their responses.

The presenter will then lead a final session, bringing together some of the things discovered and drawing the lesson to a close.

with 3D video, surround sound and 16 computers.
GSUS Live has introduced Jesus to nearly 200,000 teenagers. See the RESOURCE page.

GSUS Live Interior

COUNTIES commitment is to communicate the Christian faith in the UK,
through evangelists and resources and to assist churches in evangelism (Home Page)

The GSUS Live Mobile Classrooms

The mobile classrooms are housed in purpose built trailer units.

They visit one school each for a week and provide up to five lessons each day.

Inside both of the mobile classrooms there is:

• A large screen video display
• Surround sound and integrated lighting system
• Seating for 32 pupils
• 16 computers

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/general/index.html#whois

GSUS Live is built on the success of another Counties' mobile exhibition - 'The Bible Experience' - which was visited by thousands of pupils.

GSUS Live is available to schools free of charge. The project is funded by individuals, churches and Christian trusts. http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/general/index.html#whois


In the Guardian January 15, 2005:-
At the parents' consultation meeting, Tracy quoted a speech Burn had given in which he had said that teachers at Vardy schools should be "full-time Christian workers"; he told her that it was a personal view not necessarily reflected in the Foundation's plans for Conisbrough and Denaby. "At the first parents' meeting," Kay recalled, "somebody asked David Vardy why they were contributing only £2m while the government put in so much more. And he said, 'Well, I can always take my money elsewhere. I can go and buy myself a yacht.'"

Organised and funded by Counties http://www.countiesuk.org/contact.html

Counties Information Page (2nd April 2007) http://www.countiesuk.org/contact.html - pdf

COUNTIES' Mission Statement and 'Core Values'

"Bringing The Good News to the Nation"

The following underpin COUNTIES' Mission Statement, beliefs and convictions :-

1. Dependency on God. We acknowledge our dependency on God, by faith.
2. Commitment to the Bible. We are committed to the truth of the Bible, affirming evangelical Christianity. We seek to be obedient to its teaching, evaluating our work and attitudes in its light.
3. A Focus on Evangelism. We are committed to the great commission (Matthew 28v 18-20) and the task of evangelism.
4. Believing Prayer. We believe that prayer is the basis of our work and underlies everything that we do.
5. Church Linked. We recognise the importance of churches and seek to equip and support them in evangelism, providing appropriate resources.
6. Biblical Unity. We value the fact that we comprise Bible believing Christians from different churches seeking to work together in unity.
7. Achieving Excellence. We are committed to integrity, honesty, quality and professionalism, encouraging creativity and innovation in all that we do.

The work of COUNTIES is supported by 24 groups of Regional Representatives, usually covering an individual County.
These groups are made up of Christians who are committed to encourage and enable evangelism in their region, by the work of the individual Evangelist, as well as other strategies.
These groups have a key role in the support of the Evangelists and in some areas provide gifts, housing or vehicles.

COUNTIES' policy, vision and strategy is spearheaded by a group of Trustees, known as the Council, who meet four times a year. Brian Adams, Carshalton Beeches	Michael Allen, Redditch
Roger Brind, Cardiff	Richard Canham, Enfield
Ken Cardy, Buxted	Brian Chapman, Wokingham
Martin Fielder, Fareham	Jim Halifax, Southampton
Peter Jack, Blandford Forum	Val Naylor, Chelmsford
David Vardy, Durham

COUNTIES
30 Haynes Road
WESTBURY
BA13 3HD

Tel: 01373 823 013
E-mail: office@countiesuk.org

The 'GSUS Live' mobile classrooms show 3D video and interactive multi-media presentations that introduce Jesus to teenagers as they investigate the themes of forgiveness, fear and rejection.

GSUS Live is made available to Secondary Schools through local churches and other groups committed to providing Christian resources in education.



For further information view the GSUS Live web site www.gsuslive.co.uk or contact the GSUS Live schools co-ordinator email.

http://www.countiesuk.org/resources.html

COUNTIES new
LIFE exhibition

The LIFE Exhibition is a unique, mobile exhibition developed by COUNTIES, a UK based Christian Charity. The exhibition focuses on the life of Jesus, and aims to:

help visitors understand what Christians believe about Jesus

enable questioning and exploration of the life of Jesus

encourage visitors to consider his impact in today’s world

allow visitors to think for themselves about the teachings of Jesus

build on existing links between schools and local churches

The LIFE Exhibition is an educational experience with active learning opportunities. Using PDA technology, with text, graphics, DVD and sound, the exhibition is a ‘hands on’ interactive learning experience.

LIFE tells of the life of Jesus, his Jewish roots, his teaching and miracles, and his death, burial and resurrection.

The final area of the exhibition is the LIFE Café, where visitors can have refreshments and discuss what they have seen and experienced.

For Further infromation see www.Lifeexpo.co.uk
or contact project Co-ordinator Martin Buckley.

http://www.countiesuk.org/life.html

LIFE exhibition
helping churches to reach their community,
launched on 18th March in London.

Click on a category to see more:
LIFE Introduction

LIFE Zone

LIFE Game

LIFE Cafe

http://www.countiesuk.org/index.html

Head Teachers Pack

Outline of Lesson

The presentation is in three parts and lasts about 45 minutes. As the students enter the Mobile Trailer, the sound and light system create an atmosphere of anticipation.

1. Introduction:

   • An introductory 3D video introduces the themes of Forgiveness, Fear & Rejection.
     Special glasses are provided.

   • A presenter gives brief instructions to help the students prepare for the Multimedia Programme.

2. Development (Multimedia Programme):

   • The students, seated in pairs at a computer workstation, will choose a theme: Forgiveness, Fear or Rejection and then commence the Multimedia Programme. Students will only have time to investigate one theme.

   • Each theme has four sections.
     Each section is introduced by a short video clip, followed by a 'postcard' asking for help & advice.
     Students then have several desktop resources available to help them formulate a response to each postcard. These resources are:

     • Extracts from the Bible - which is both seen and heard.

     • Quotations - in the form of a web page.

     • Contemporary Christian Music

     • Video extracts from 'The Miracle Maker' (an animated film on the life of Jesus).

   • Students are then given five possible responses. Once a response has been made, students move on to the next section. With each section the story develops.

3. Final Plenary Review:

   • At the end of the Multimedia Programme the students' responses are printed out for further work/reflection.

   • The Presenter brings the lesson to a conclusion by seeing if there are key points students wish to make. The summary will be relevant to all three themes. Fuller feedback should be left to a subsequent lesson - see below.

Extension Work

We suggest that the time spent in the Mobile Classroom is the first of up to a four lesson process. More details are available in a specially prepared Teacher's Pack, which includes worksheets and additional schemes of work.

http://www.gsuslive.co.uk/schools/htpack/htpack_mp.html

What I said to Richard Dawkins after the "We'd be better off without religion" debate

After the "We'd be better off without religion" debate (at the Grand Hall, Westminster on 27th March) Richard Dawkins was signing his book The God Delusion.

I wished Dawkins happy birthday for yesterday (26th March). I said that I was helping to organise the PR for the The God Delusion to MPs Pledge at the House of Commons on the 16th April. I asked Dawkins "would he present his pledge, in public, to Dr Evan Harris (his local MP). He said he would not. Dawkins then said that he had arranged to pledge his book to David Miliband MP. I asked Dawkins "would he present his pledge, in public, to David Miliband MP." He said he would not.

Miliband, Rt Hon David

Lab

South Shields

Taken by Anonymous (13)

I walked away but within 5 paces people were tapping me on the shoulder. I looked around and saw Dawkins standing up waving his pen at me. Had I forgot my wallet? No! Dawkins said that whilst he was unwilling to present his pledge in public to any MP - he WAS however willing to ATTEND the PR event for the book pledge. Dawkins requested I send details of the PR event to him by email for his written confirmation that he can attend.

James Christie and Peter Klaver please note!!

Astronomy Picture of the Day

2007 March 28

NGC 1365: Majestic Island Universe

Explanation: Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is truly a majestic island universe some 200,000 light-years across. Located a mere 60 million light-years away toward the chemical constellation Fornax, NGC 1365 is a dominant member of the well-studied Fornax galaxy cluster. This impressively sharp color image shows intense star forming regions at the ends of the bar and along the spiral arms, as well as details of dust lanes cutting across the galaxy's bright core. At the core lies a supermassive black hole. Astronomers think NGC 1365's prominent bar plays a crucial role in the galaxy's evolution, drawing gas and dust into a star-forming maelstrom and ultimately feeding material into the central black hole.

reposted from: nasa
my: highlights / emphasis / key points / comments

We'd be better off without religion

March 27, 2007
Motion: We'd be better off without religion

For the motion: Professor Richard Dawkins, Professor A.C.Grayling, Christopher Hitchens. Against the motion: Rabbi Julia Neuberger, Professor Roger Scruton, Dr. Nigel Spivey.
Chaired by: Joan Bakewell

2200 & I attended this debate last night.

Entrance Poll: 850 (46%) FOR, 650 (35%) AGAINST, 350 (19%) UNDECIDED (total: 1850)

After the debate: 1205 (56%) FOR, 778 (36%) AGAINST, 150 (8%) UNDECIDED (total: 2133)

(figures are my approximation - does anyone have the exact figures?)

A very stimulating debate. The audience were extremely polite - no heckling whatsoever. Only one 20 second outburst from Christopher Hitchens. Each speaker had 6 minutes with a further 2 minutes summary. This was followed by 30 minutes Q & A from the floor. I hope to have links to the speeches later in the week.

Speakers for the motion:

• Professor Richard Dawkins Charles Simonyi Professor in the Public Understanding of Science, University of Oxford. Author of ‘The Selfish Gene’ and ‘The God Delusion’. He is is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
  
  
• Professor A.C.Grayling Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. Author of ‘The Reason of Things: The Good Life Without God’ and ‘Among the Dead Cities’.
  
  
• Christopher Hitchens Author, journalist, columnist and contributing editor to Vanity Fair. Voted fifth out of the world’s top one hundred “public intellectuals”.

Speakers against the motion:

• Rabbi Julia Neuberger Rabbi, author, broadcaster and social reformer. Her latest book is ‘The Moral State We’re In’.
  
  
• Professor Roger Scruton Writer and philosopher. His books include ‘Philosophy: Principles and Problems’ and ‘England: An Elegy’. Runs an experimental farm in Wiltshire which turns grass into ideas and ideas into feelings.
  
  
• Dr Nigel Spivey Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he teaches Classical art and archaeology. Author and presenter of several television documentaries, including ‘How Art Made the World’ and ‘Digging for Jesus’.

The debate was chaired by Joan Bakewell Joan Bakewell’s broadcasting career spans some 35 years – first making her mark in the 60s as a presenter of BBC2’s Late Night Line Up and presenting travel programmes and Granada’s Report Action. In the 80s she was Arts Correspondent for the BBC and in the 90s she presented the award winning Heart of the Matter for BBC1. Throughout this time she has sustained a career in Radio and as a print journalist.

reposted from: http://www.intelligencesquared.com/event_future.php?d=20070327
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Enceladus Creates Saturn's E Ring

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2007 March 27

Enceladus Creates Saturn's E Ring
Credit: CICLOPS, JPL, ESA, NASA

Explanation: The active moon Enceladus appears to be making Saturn's E ring. An amazing picture showing the moon at work was taken late last year by the Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft and is shown above. Enceladus is the bright point near the center, right near the center of Saturn's E ring. Streams of ice and water vapor can be seen pouring off Enceladus into the E ring. The above bright image of the normally faint E-ring was made possible by aligning Cassini so that Saturn blocked the Sun. From that perspective, small ring particles reflect incoming sunlight more efficiently. Cassini has now been orbiting Saturn for almost three years, and is scheduled to swoop by the unexpectedly cryovolcanic Enceladus at least several more times.

War on science - Evolution v Intelligent Design

Video on YouTube features David Attenborough, Richard Dawkins...

Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education (SACRE). Dorset Humanists serve on a number of local SACREs (Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education) to promote the inclusion of Humanism in religious education. Humanism is now included in the National Framework for Religious Education and we have been successful in getting Humanism included in the Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset syllabuses. We have also visited a number of local schools to speak to sixth formers about Humanism and to deliver Humanist assemblies. We have also spoken in the Bournemouth Council Chamber against discriminatory subsidies for transport to faith schools. Source: Dorset Humanists


Saturday, March 24, 2007

Atheist banned from committee on religious education

by Simon Barrett

Reposted from:

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/generalnews/display.var.1279333.0.atheist_banned_from_committee_on_religious_education.php

Thanks to Scott McGraw for sending this our way.

An atheist has spoken of his dismay after being sidelined from discussions on how religion is taught in schools.

Former teacher Andrew Edmondson attempted to win a place on the West Sussex County Council's advisory committee for religious education (SACRE) but was denied by a majority vote.

Mr Edmondson, a humanist, believes people can lead their lives without religion and use reason to explain the world and solve problems.

Despite giving a presentation on humanism to members they voted against allowing him a place on the committee.

Mr Edmondson, of Balcombe, said: "Despite the detailed presentation I gave them, they likened humanism to minority religions such as pagans and scientologists.

"They failed to understand that humanism is the voice of reason, necessary to balance supernatural beliefs. Our children should be given a choice in schools and not railroaded into believing one thing or another.

"It is appalling that children in West Sussex are not taught that there is an alternative to religion. There is nothing stopping any school from teaching non-religious views. Schools should surely try to encourage reason."

Mr Edmondson argued that a humanist representative on the committee would speak for the non-religious people of West Sussex. He said recent polls had shown 62 per cent of people preferred humanist explanations to religious ones and 65 per cent of young people, aged between 12 and 19, were atheist or agnostic.

He said: "This is a missed opportunity for West Sussex and is contrary to the Human Rights Act. Children have a right to learn non-religious views."

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority recommends the inclusion of humanism in order to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.

Only two groups on the committee supported Mr Edmondson's application - the teachers and the Church of England which has a policy of inclusion.

Those who voted against included West Sussex County Council representatives, headteachers and minority religions.

British Humanist Association spokesman Andrew Copson said "Humanists have made a significant contribution to religious education over the last few decades. It is sad that the West Sussex committee does not seem to have recognised this and has missed an opportunity to take an inclusive approach. If religious education is to be a meaningful subject for all then those whose values are not religious must be included."

Committee chairwoman Margaret Collins said: "Following a lengthy debate lasting three meetings including a presentation from Mr Edmondson the committee decided by a majority vote not to include a non-religious organisation within its membership."

A West Sussex County Council spokesman added that secondary schools already included humanist views in the curriculum.

************ Comments ***********

7. Comment #27388 by Richard Morgan on March 24, 2007 at 10:45 am

I'm as atheist as the rest of you (if there are degrees of atheism....!) but it does seem rather strange that Andrew Edmondson should wish to participate on a committee that discusses how religion is taught in schools. It's rather like a teetotaller wishing to have a say on how wines and spirits are sold, or a vegetarian sitting on the Butchers' Committee.

I suppose that if he were admitted, his opinion on how religion should be taught to children would be limited to one word : "Not."

I am opposed to capital punishment in all cases, without exception. I will not be asking to be heard in a discussion on the comparative merits of the lethal injection as opposed to the electric chair.

8. Comment #27398 by AJ Rae on March 24, 2007 at 11:40 am

I'm as atheist as the rest of you (if there are degrees of atheism....!) but it does seem rather strange that Andrew Edmondson should wish to participate on a committee that discusses how religion is taught in schools. It's rather like a teetotaller wishing to have a say on how wines and spirits are sold, or a vegetarian sitting on the Butchers' Committee.

I suppose that if he were admitted, his opinion on how religion should be taught to children would be limited to one word : "Not."

Every child is taught religion, and many Atheists want children, even their own, to be taught religion. So Atheists should have a say in how religion is taught, that's education. Many Atheists don't want indoctrination and preaching of the wonders of irrational faith, something children shouldn't have to be subjected to.

9. Comment #27404 by Yorker on March 24, 2007 at 11:57 am

Does anyone know where these poll figures come from?

If they are correct - and I suspect they may be - then perhaps a good idea would be to appeal to the natural rebelliousness of young people. Maybe this site should set up a special section for youngsters where it could be pointed out that those who back religion want to teach religion because it gives them control over the minds of young people.

Of course, the religious establishment would be up in arms about what they would see as subversion and an attempt by atheists to control the minds of our children, but so what? That's exactly what they're doing. Young people are the key and are also more computer savvy than many adults; within a short time the search engines would pick up on the new section of RDF and curious youngsters would want to take a look. The content and presentation of such a section would have to be carefully thought out and designed, but that's another matter.

This is just a quick idea off the top of my head, deeper thought might prove it unwise, but perhaps it's worth that deeper thought.

What do others think?

15. Comment #27444 by cnewell on March 24, 2007 at 4:47 pm

Why should atheists be represented on statutory advisory committees for religious education?

Because if pupils are to be taught about religion in schools then non-religious belief systems should be an important part of the syllabus.

16. Comment #27448 by MelM on March 24, 2007 at 5:29 pm

Teach the controversy. Teach critical thinking skills.

18. Comment #27461 by mmurray on March 24, 2007 at 6:04 pm

I wonder if being on the Advisory Committee for Political Education requires you to be a member of a political party or a believer in some political ideology.

Michael

19. Comment #27462 by Ohnhai on March 24, 2007 at 6:04 pm

I love the delicious parallels with the attempts to crowbar creationism (in all its manifest guises) into the science curriculum.

Humanism and Atheism are not 'religion' per say, and thus probably should not be taught in religious education classes. Same goes for "Creation Science" not being real science and thus having no place in the science class room.

But where the division gets tricky is I believe that religious education classes must be inclusive of all religions and teach the actual historical (not hysterical) facts of all these religions. It should also make it quite clear that not believing in gods and the supernatural is equally a valid out look to take in this world. This can be done without teaching 'Humanism' and should be as humanism is NOT a religion, and religions tend to focus around deistic belief.

If you force humanism into RE classes then you best be willing to admit CS in to the science class room.

20. Comment #27464 by BaronOchs on March 24, 2007 at 6:10 pm

If you force humanism into RE classes then you best be willing to admit CS in to the science class room.

I suggest R.E should be renamed something like Religion, Philosophy and Ethics. In which case you could teach relevant material that isn't necessarily "religion".

21. Comment #27465 by Zigster on March 24, 2007 at 6:34 pm

Comment #27388 by Richard Morgan on March 24, 2007 at 10:45 am
I'm as atheist as the rest of you (if there are degrees of atheism....!) but it does seem rather strange that Andrew Edmondson should wish to participate on a committee that discusses how religion is taught in schools. It's rather like a teetotaller wishing to have a say on how wines and spirits are sold, or a vegetarian sitting on the Butchers' Committee.

I suppose that if he were admitted, his opinion on how religion should be taught to children would be limited to one word : "Not."

I am opposed to capital punishment in all cases, without exception. I will not be asking to be heard in a discussion on the comparative merits of the lethal injection as opposed to the electric chair.

I disagree. Religious education should not be about helping children to choose which religion they wish to be a member of (their parents and/or church will have already done that for them) but to make the children aware of all the other religions out there - and that some (an increasing number) reject all religions.

Using your example on capital punishment, I would want to be part of such a discussion to make sure the option of not executing people is discussed otherwise it is taken as read that capital punishment is acceptable.

Similarly, would you want an appreciation of alcohol taught only by alcoholics - some favouring whiskey and some special brew? Or would a teetotaller bring the message that you don't have to drink to have a good time (not that I've ever bought that argument myself! :D)?

23. Comment #27471 by Veronique on March 24, 2007 at 6:58 pm

Yorker - RD has such a terrifically high profile that many students, kids, young people, have heard of him and the raging debate about ID and Evolution.

I think it would be a good thing to develop a resource website that they can access. There must be some out there already, probably started by them themselves. One more attached to RD wouldn't go astray.

It would need a good moderator but I think the included resource material need not be that different from what is already here. Kids today have access to and know more than you and I ever did at a young age.

Comparative Religion should be included because I think that area is sadly missing in the school curricula. It could stem the hardening of belief before it calicifies.

They would also need threads and forums. Any links to this site would, hopefully, lift our game somewhat.

Let's ask RD and Josh what they think and if they have any practical format suggestions.

26. Comment #27509 by cnewell on March 25, 2007 at 4:38 am

I would encourage non-religious people to get involved with their local SACRE (Statutory Advisory Committee for Religious Education) and ask difficult questions. Every county and metropolitan area in the U.K. has to have one. The meetings are held in public so anyone can attend but you may also be able to join the committee and have a greater impact.

The teaching of non-religious beliefs is now included in the "Guidelines on Religious Education" issued by the national Qualifications and Curriculum Authority so there is precedent for teaching these beliefs in R.E.

However, there is no precedent or logical reason for teaching Creationism in science classes so I wouldn't worry about that too much!

I think it's very important for the large numbers of children who are non-religious (over 60% ?) to know that their beliefs are shared by many adults and are taken seriously. When I was at school the sheer weight of religious study and worship made me feel like an outcast.

27. Comment #27510 by stephenray on March 25, 2007 at 4:44 am

I dunno.

If we want to keep religion out of the science classroom, isn't this the other side of the coin?

I think we would all accept that atheism isn't a religion, so why should the religious let us in the RI classroom?

We have to challenge the unquestioning acceptance of the unchallenged position of religion in education, but attempts such as this may make a rod for our own backs...

28. Comment #27511 by cnewell on March 25, 2007 at 4:59 am

R.E these days does not concern worship (something we should all oppose) but involves learning factual information about religions (anathema to some but could be argued to be useful - better the devil you know).

If we can't get rid of R.E. then it's important that non-religious beliefs are given equal weight to religious beliefs.

I think we should trust pupils to make up their own minds if presented with all the information in an unbiased way. Recent surveys show current pupils to be refreshingly sceptical. Has anyone got the statistics to hand?

32. Comment #27675 by Philip1978 on March 26, 2007 at 4:54 am

By all means teach religion in school, I learned a load about the Norse gods and Greek mythology amongst other things and it was amazingly interesting. During my A Levels we actually debated in the religious education class, there were atheists, muslims, catholics, protestants and the teacher was the school chaplain! Kids should grow up with the choice, they look to adults for guidance and a chance to make their own minds up, give them a full education. Teaching creationism in science class is pathetic and wrong because it is not science, it is a point of view that kids should know about in a religious education class. Because that is what it should be, education of the worlds religions and the views that agree or disagree with it

reposted from: RD
my: highlights / emphasis / key points / comments

Mission Statement - Mid Sussex Freethinkers

Mission Statement

Mid Sussex Freethinkers seeks the separation of state from religion, and the right of individuals to hold religious beliefs or not.

We want:

• the end of religious interference in local and national government, especially education

• the end of religious privilege, financial support, bishops in the House of Lords.

• the removal of the Queen as Head of the Church of England

We aim to raise local awareness of the issues through challenging the way religion is taught in our schools. This will be achieved in two ways:

• influencing the local RE syllabus drawn up by West Sussex District Council

• influencing how schools implement the local RE syllabus.

We will request:

• the inclusion of atheism/secularism in the RE lesson, in proportion to the number of non-religious parents

• that religious beliefs are not taught as fact, either directly or by omission of an atheist perspective.

• that morality, relationships, sex education, ethics, etc. be taught separately from religion

• that religion be taught in its entirety, including both negative and positive aspects, its true history, veracity of sources, inconsistencies and conflicts with other religions, current affairs

• provision of a real alternative to the RE lesson and acts of worship, e.g. philosophy, extra maths or english.

We support the aims and principles of the National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association.

reposted from: Mid Sussex Freethinkers
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