The Accord coalition

The BHA has long been involved in campaigning for an end to the laws that allow schools with a religious character to discriminate in their admissions and employment policies and to teach a biased RE curriculum. In September 2008 we became one of the founder members of Accord, the coalition that brings together religious and non-religious people to campaign for an end this unfairness. Read the aims of Accord.

Members and supporters of Accord include leading teachers’ union ATL, Christian thinktank Ekklesia and individuals with a wide range of religious and non-religious beliefs. The BHA is represented on the Accord steering group by Andrew Copson and the coalition also works closely with newly-appointed BHA Campaigns Officer on Faith Schools and Education, Paul Pettinger.

In coordination with the BHA, Accord will be campaigning hard to ensure that the upcoming Equality Bill removes the current exemptions from equalities laws that have been given to state funded religious schools. Accord is not a membership organisation but it needs the help of individual supporters in its campaigns. You can sign up for free to support to receive occasional messages about their campaigns and information on how you can help. Please sign up if you want inclusive schools instead of religious divisions.

The Dossier

Accord has recently published a dossier of evidence from independent sources, which shows in detail why they (and we!) are so worried about the impact faith schools are having on Britain.

Drawing on research from leading academics, think-tanks and the government, the document will be a great help to campaigners, journalists and anyone else who wants to know the truth behind the headlines.

Topics covered include:

1. The impact of religious admissions on social segregation (sometimes called "cream skimming" or social selection)
2. Faith schools and school standards / attainment
3. Faith schools and community cohesion
4. The number of new faith schools
5. Faith schools and homophobia
6. Faith schools and recruitment
7. The number of schools of different types, and their denominations

Download the dossier (PDF).