McConnell's anti-bigotry lessons for 3-year-olds
EDDIE BARNES - POLITICAL EDITOR - Scotland on Sunday - 3 October 2004
THE menace of sectarian hatred in Scotland is to be tackled head-on in schools and nurseries with children as young as three receiving lessons on the horror of religious intolerance.
Ministers have ordered the radical move in a long-term bid to eradicate the scourge of Scottish society by challenging sectarianism during children’s formative years.
In what is believed to be the first scheme of its kind in the world, Scotland on Sunday can reveal that lessons will begin in five pilot areas next week, during which pupils will be taught to turn their backs on religious hatred and respect the differences between faiths.
The decision is a major victory for anti-sectarian campaigners who have long claimed the nation has been in denial over its history of religious conflict.
But others last night warned that the move smacked of political-correctness by the Scottish Executive and risked reinforcing the religious divide rather than destroying it.
Guidance prepared by anti-sectarian groups and approved by ministers has now been prepared for pupils from nursery, primary and secondary schools.
Teachers will be encouraged to undertake role-playing in which the stark historical divide between Catholic and Protestant communities will be acted out. They will also be advised to instruct pupils about the dangers of Islamaphobia and bigotry against all faith groups.
Although the most acute problems with sectarianism are perceived to be in the west of Scotland, the pilots will take place in several areas of the country. Pupils in Highland, Dundee, Dumfries and Galloway, North Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire will be the first to take the lessons.
It is expected the anti-sectarianism message will be rolled out to all Scottish schools for the start of the 2005/06 academic year.
Last night, Education Minister Peter Peacock - who will unveil the plans in full next week - told Scotland on Sunday: "Sectarianism, as with any form of discrimination, is unacceptable and challenging it in children’s formative years is essential if we are to tackle this scourge of Scottish society."
The schools material to be used next week has been prepared by anti-sectarian groups such as Nil by Mouth, the charity set up in 2000, in memory of Mark Smith, the Glasgow schoolboy stabbed to death in 1995 while walking back from a Celtic match.
The material provides information about Scotland’s sectarian heritage, with the aim of giving pupils greater understanding about why tensions exist. It also suggests ways for teachers to deal with any ingrained attitudes amongst pupils, through role-plays and discussion groups.
These are designed to focus on the wider issue of the root causes of inequality and discrimination. Youth groups as well as schools are expected to use the material to hold discussions.
Helen Miller, the group’s coordinator said last night: "It deals with all forms of religious intolerance, including Islamaphobia. It is a resource that will encourage education and teachers to raise the issue in the classroom and in a formal setting.
"It gives lesson plans and assembly plans for every school setting right from nursery schools and primary schools. The idea is for role plays and discussions to be developed."
Miller said that teachers currently felt unqualified to tackle sectarianism head on in the classroom for fear of causing offence.
"They feel unprepared to deal with this and there aren’t any resources at present for them to use. Hopefully, this is the beginning and hopefully it will give teachers and young people more ideas and help people to build up their knowledge," she said.
The fact that children as young as three are being targeted is controversial, but backers of the plan said it was important to begin early in order to prevent sectarian attitudes gaining hold.
Sister Isobel Smyth, convener of the Religious Education Movement in Scotland, a charity which runs a project bringing children of different faiths together, said: "Children in nursery school are much more able to accept difference than older people. They take it for granted. The message given will be appropriate for three-year-olds, telling stories of different cultures and different faiths so that they get used to the idea of there being different faiths out there."
The drive marks the latest attempt by ministers to deal with the blight of sectarianism, following the publication of a cross-party report two years ago into the issue.
A new offence of religiously motivated crime has been created, while there are also stronger rules surrounding the sale of offensive flags around football grounds.
Later this year Sir John Orr, the former chief constable of Strathclyde Police, will issue a report on religious parades which is widely expected to recommend a tougher licensing system for marches, to prevent the outbreak of hostility between religious communities.
Aides of First Minister Jack McConnell say that tackling sectarianism is likely to be the next major thrust of his plans this winter. McConnell told a fringe meeting at last week’s Labour Party conference: "We are going to deal with issues of marches and parades and we are going to deal with the issues of attitudes in schools and communities."
But opposition parties struck a guarded note last night, warning against the involvement of ministers. Fiona Hyslop, education spokeswoman for the SNP, said: "The government has to understand that sectarianism doesn’t begin and end in the classroom.
"To bill this venture as anti-sectarian lessons is the wrong way to go. We should be talking to our children about what we are about, rather than what we are opposed to."
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, education spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said: "You have to be careful with issues like this that you are not too politically correct. Of course we all abhor sectarianism in whatever form, but you can’t just teach these things out of people. It is predominantly the role of families and parents to set a good example."
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland said: "Any initiative that alerts children to the dangers of sectarianism is to welcomed."