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We campaign for respect for those who seek to live ethical and responsible lives without religious or superstitious beliefs, and against religious privilege.
Our campaigning focuses on two areas: local issues, for example responding to proposals for local faith schools or challenging inaccurate reporting on Humanism in local media or supporting positive coverage; and giving local support to selected British Humanist Association national campaigns.
Local faith schools campaign
Currently we're campaigning to prevent a major new secondary school proposed for North Kingston from being set up as a Church of England faith school. The proposed school would have a 6th form and would have a major effect on Kingston, as well as on Richmond where none of the state secondary schools have 6th forms.
It is unacceptable for a state school to discriminate in admissions, employment, ethos and curriculum on the basis of belief, and it is especially unfair on the huge numbers of local children and parents who are not religious, as well as those who follow other faiths and those who, regardless of their own religious beliefs, would like their children to learn with and from children of all faiths and none. For more arguments against faith schools click here, and for some up-date-data on faith schools click here.
Through press releases and letters, local humanists and others have created a lively debate in the local press. See Links below if you'd like to join in. You can find press cuttings on this, and on the pressure in Richmond for a Catholic secondary school, here. And here's a key article in the Surrey Comet: http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/8295192.Humanists_launch_petition_against_school_being_church_run/.
Please also sign our petition to Kingston Council for "an inclusive community school in north Kingston" at a SWLH meeting, or on-line at http://epetition.kingston.public-i.tv/epetition_core/community/petition/899.
For more information contact education@swlhumanists.org.uk. And please let us know of any campaigning you do, including the responses you receive.
Letters to local newspapers: letters@surreycomet.co.uk; newskingston@trinitysouth.co.uk;
letters@kingstonguardian.co.uk; lettersrtt@london.newsquest.co.uk
British Humanist Association campaigns
