Fringe Report: Labour Humanists' reception with AC Grayling

reposted from: http://www.labourhumanists.org.uk/

Fringe Report: Labour Humanists' reception

Labour Humanists' first appearance at Labour conference saw writer and philosopher AC Grayling speak to a fringe reception of Labour Humanist members, conference delegates, and a strong showing from the Dorset Humanists.

Professor Grayling, who is also a distinguished supporter of the BHA, spoke on the subject of civil liberties in modern Britain and the need to defend the progressive heritage the country has enjoyed. A lively debate followed, the crowd seizing the chance to ask questions and afterwards meet and socialise with fellow Labour humanists over a glass of bucks fizz.

The British Humanist Association was also on hand to speak with delegates.Their stall in the conference zone was manned at various intervals by a number of eager Labour Humanists, which undoubtedly drew new members into both the Labour Humanist and BHA fold. Alongside a raft of new members we also saw something of a run on our specially-minted Labour Humanist badges, later often spotted being worn by delegates about conference.

We are already in full swing planning for next year's conference and welcome any assistance and ideas members can offer.

Adam Harrison

Labour Humanists condemn Government’s Faith in the System report

reposted from: http://humanistsforlabour.typepad.com/the_labour_humanist_group/2007/09/labour-humani-1.html

September 19, 2007

Labour Humanists today maintained their firm opposition to ‘faith’ schools with a clear condemnation of the Government’s recent statement lauding the contribution such schools supposedly make to ‘community cohesion and integration’.

Chair Anthony Burn denounced the document as: “a clear example of the Government’s continuing folly in this area."

“The Government claims such schools will promote community cohesion - yet it stills fails to point to ways in which this will genuinely occur. Requiring ‘faith’ school pupils to have occasional contact with pupils from other schools will hardly equip our children with the skills to get on with those holding different beliefs - or indeed no religious beliefs.

“This is without again highlighting the squeeze on the rights of non-religious parents, caught in a system that assumes all Britons must belong to one religion or another.”

Labour Humanists also highlighted research released this week from the LSE showing ‘faith’ schools take in a far smaller proportion of children from low-income families than do their community school counterparts.

“Snaffling in the most teachable pupils under the guise of religion is wrong in any circumstance. But this creates only a redoubled division within communities – by both alleged religion and by income.

“As Labour people and humanists we can only fear for the shape of our communities in the future. How will out children truly learn to live together unless they first study, grow and become adults together?”

Labour Humanists: Wit, wisdom, and (some) wine with AC Grayling

This meeting was attended by fifty members of Dorset Humanists and Labour Humanists.

Andrew Copson (BHA Education officer), Kris Brown (Vice Chair Labour Humanists) and AC Grayling (BHA Vice President) spoke. Naomi Phillips (BHA PR) and Julia Mundy (Labour Humanists Treasurer) attended meeting.

AC Grayling spoke about the history and potential erosion of civil liberties (refer to book "Toward the Light"). With the increase in terrorism, ID cards and DNA databases could restrict our liberties.