Question reference: S5O-02043
- Date lodged: 25 April 2018
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 May 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on protecting young people's right to religious observance, education and freedom of religious belief in schools.
Answer
Freedom of religious belief is an important feature of Scottish life that must also apply in schools.
The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 provides a statutory basis for local authorities to provide Religious Observance and Religious and Moral Education in Scottish schools, with RME also embedded in Curriculum for Excellence. The legislation also gives parents a right to withdraw their child from these activities, with Scottish Government guidance stressing the importance of including children and young people in any decision to opt out.