A predatory paedophile walked free from court yesterday after admitting a string of sex attacks on children, including an 18-month-old baby. Michael Porter, 38, used his trusted position as a prominent Jehovah's Witness to prey on youngsters, many of them children of members of the church.In court he pleaded guilty to 24 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency over 15 years. But at Bristol crown court Judge Tom Crowther handed him a three-year community rehabilitation order after hearing he had undergone therapy and, according to the BBC, after being impressed that Porter was "a man of faith".
Full details of the case.Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "The fact that this man escaped a jail term because the judge took into account that he was 'a man of faith' is a disgraceful abuse of the law. What if he had been an atheist? Would that have meant he went straight to jail? You cannot have a legal system that favours people because they claim to be religious. This is a very disturbing development."
http://www.secularism.org.uk/
We should be calling paedophiles - child rapists - people who rape and sexually attack children -as this is what they are. It some how seems so much less to call them paedophiles.
Showing posts with label Secular society. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Secular society. Show all posts
Friday, August 24, 2007
Make Schools Secular
Welsh parliamentarian wants multi-faith assemblies in schools
Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Peter Black has called for the Welsh Assembly to reconsider the requirement for schools in the country to hold an act of Christian worship and to make assemblies "multi-faith."Writing on his website in response to a humanist group, Mr Black says: "The present requirement for schools to provide a daily act of what is interpreted as Christian worship for all pupils as enshrined in the 1944 Education Act is not a practical possibility for most schools and does not fit with the cultural, religious and ethnic make-up of modern 21st Century Britain. We have to recognise that pupils live and work side by side with others of all religions and cultures and we should amend the duty on schools to use morning assemblies and lessons to help youngsters understand, appreciate and benefit from the diverse society they live in. "In many schools there is no suitable hall or room capable of accommodating the whole school with the result that most headteachers stagger assemblies and interpret the requirement as providing an act of Christian worship at least once a week. Because of the diverse nature of their pupils many are able to opt out of these assemblies and do so, thus defeating the purpose of them. A multi-faith assembly staggered over the week or one focussed on educating children about the differences between all faiths and none would benefit everybody and lead to better tolerance and understanding within our society. If at all possible the Welsh Assembly should review the present legal requirement and seek to amend it to accommodate these views."
Responding to this in the Western Mail, Saleem Kidwai, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, welcomed the suggestion that different faiths could contribute to assemblies, and was adamant that religion should not be banished from the educational system. He said, "I'm a product myself of a Catholic school."
Brian Cainen, secretary of the West Glamorgan Humanist Group, which approached Mr Black, believes a distinctively Christian assembly is divisive. He said, "You've got Christians, Muslims and Jews being divided up. I do think education is about enthusing people and giving them space for philosophical thought and discussion is very important."
The Rev Aled Edwards, chief executive of Cytûn (Churches Together in Wales), said, "The balance struck with the legislation is the right one where required to broadly reflect the Christian tradition." However, he stressed it was the responsibility of faith communities and schools to pass on their beliefs. Schools, he said, should "create an ambience where young people think through their own values and faith background."
Colin Hart, director of the right-wing Christian Institute, also defended the status quo. "The biggest danger is the curriculum squeeze on religious education. That's why it's important it's still legally required."Stephen Green, founder of the extremist group Christian Voice – notorious for its opposition to Jerry Springer: The Opera – does not want Islamic teachings in schools. He said, "Much as it must irritate the secularists, Wales is still part of a Christian United Kingdom."
A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said, "The legal requirement for schools to have daily collective worship is contained in primary legislation. There are no regulation-making powers available to the Assembly Government to change or amend this legislation. Collective worship and religious education in maintained schools without a religious character must be broadly Christian whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of other principle religions represented in Great Britain."
Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, said: "These exchanges illustrate perfectly why religious practices and RE should be taken out of school life. They encourage division and have no purpose other than to try to indoctrinate children into one particular religion. This is not a legitimate function of the state. As minority religions become more vocal and assertive, this will become an increasing bone of contention. We need to make schools into neutral secular spaces where religious proselytisers play no part."
Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Peter Black has called for the Welsh Assembly to reconsider the requirement for schools in the country to hold an act of Christian worship and to make assemblies "multi-faith."Writing on his website in response to a humanist group, Mr Black says: "The present requirement for schools to provide a daily act of what is interpreted as Christian worship for all pupils as enshrined in the 1944 Education Act is not a practical possibility for most schools and does not fit with the cultural, religious and ethnic make-up of modern 21st Century Britain. We have to recognise that pupils live and work side by side with others of all religions and cultures and we should amend the duty on schools to use morning assemblies and lessons to help youngsters understand, appreciate and benefit from the diverse society they live in. "In many schools there is no suitable hall or room capable of accommodating the whole school with the result that most headteachers stagger assemblies and interpret the requirement as providing an act of Christian worship at least once a week. Because of the diverse nature of their pupils many are able to opt out of these assemblies and do so, thus defeating the purpose of them. A multi-faith assembly staggered over the week or one focussed on educating children about the differences between all faiths and none would benefit everybody and lead to better tolerance and understanding within our society. If at all possible the Welsh Assembly should review the present legal requirement and seek to amend it to accommodate these views."
Responding to this in the Western Mail, Saleem Kidwai, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, welcomed the suggestion that different faiths could contribute to assemblies, and was adamant that religion should not be banished from the educational system. He said, "I'm a product myself of a Catholic school."
Brian Cainen, secretary of the West Glamorgan Humanist Group, which approached Mr Black, believes a distinctively Christian assembly is divisive. He said, "You've got Christians, Muslims and Jews being divided up. I do think education is about enthusing people and giving them space for philosophical thought and discussion is very important."
The Rev Aled Edwards, chief executive of Cytûn (Churches Together in Wales), said, "The balance struck with the legislation is the right one where required to broadly reflect the Christian tradition." However, he stressed it was the responsibility of faith communities and schools to pass on their beliefs. Schools, he said, should "create an ambience where young people think through their own values and faith background."
Colin Hart, director of the right-wing Christian Institute, also defended the status quo. "The biggest danger is the curriculum squeeze on religious education. That's why it's important it's still legally required."Stephen Green, founder of the extremist group Christian Voice – notorious for its opposition to Jerry Springer: The Opera – does not want Islamic teachings in schools. He said, "Much as it must irritate the secularists, Wales is still part of a Christian United Kingdom."
A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said, "The legal requirement for schools to have daily collective worship is contained in primary legislation. There are no regulation-making powers available to the Assembly Government to change or amend this legislation. Collective worship and religious education in maintained schools without a religious character must be broadly Christian whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of other principle religions represented in Great Britain."
Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, said: "These exchanges illustrate perfectly why religious practices and RE should be taken out of school life. They encourage division and have no purpose other than to try to indoctrinate children into one particular religion. This is not a legitimate function of the state. As minority religions become more vocal and assertive, this will become an increasing bone of contention. We need to make schools into neutral secular spaces where religious proselytisers play no part."
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