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Legal threat prompts council to retake decision to block humanist from religious education committee

Southampton City Council's religious education committee, the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE), has agreed to retake a decision to block a humanist from becoming a full committee member following a threat of legal action.

Humanist Mary Wallbank first applied to be a full member of the Committee, which oversees religious education in the local community, more than two years ago. But, in November 2020, the council voted not to admit her, following consultation with religious members of the SACRE.

In response to the decision, Ms Wallbank began the process to take a legal challenge on the basis that her exclusion violated the Human Rights Act 1998. According to Humanists UK, human rights law already requires humanists to be admitted to SACREs as full members.

Immediately after making her legal threat, Ms Wallbank proposed pausing the case so that council resources were not overstretched during the pandemic, as long as the council would reconsider the issue at a later date. The council agreed and will retake the decision in November this year.

“There is no guarantee that the new decision will go in favour of admitting humanists to the SACRE as the council still mistakenly appears to think this would be unlawful on the grounds that humanism is not a religion,” Humanists UK said, with the group maintaining that it is not opposed to the existence of SACREs.

Mary Wallbank said: "I was hugely disappointed that Southampton Council chose to block my bid to become a full member of the Committee, particularly given that many of the positions for religious representatives are vacant and have been for some time.

"Southampton SACRE members say they recognise the contribution I make. Some even say that they would love to have a humanist member. If this is the case, I would ask that they reconsider their position and press Southampton Council to admit me as a full member when they revisit the issue later this year. Only this will ensure that the SACRE is properly representative and learners in Southampton get the well-rounded education they deserve."

A spokesperson for Southampton City Council confirmed the decision to complete a "thorough review of the application process to sit on Southampton SACRE, as it is some time since one has been carried out".

The spokesperson added: "Whether any organisation is recommended for membership will depend entirely on the extent to which the organisation is deemed to represent one of the principal religious or belief views held by a number of residents in Southampton and the number of places available on the Committee in that regard."

Adam Carey