Secular Humanist Society Gibraltar

The SHSG recently had flyers made to help promote the option of Citizenship, which can be chosen over the RE course. Unfortunately, even though the Government of Gibraltar have ceded to our demands to introduce an alternative GCSE to RE, a legal requirement under Gibraltar law and the constitution, they have failed to enforce that fairness be given by teachers with regard to publicising the choise.

 

The misinformation and disinformation disseminated (or not) by the two comprehensives, especially Bayside Schhol, has smacked of an attempt to undermine the whole alternative GCSE system by undestaffing plus witholding information allows many students to fall through the net and be caught in the 'default' trap-net of RE.

 

The laws of Gibraltar demand and require that  no child should be made to study or undertake and religious course or observance if they do not wish to and while this law also demands that schools provide for RE, it is not a compulsory subject, nore is it core. The only compulsory element that affects RE in schools, is that the Minister must provide such facilities for the study of RE, for any student who wishes to undertake it, there is no mandate for promoting RE nor is there for compelling any student to follow the RE curriculum.

 

The SHSG intend to hand out flyers to all year 9 tudents, so that they are informed that they need not simply be placed in a class studying RE, but that there is, as there always has been, an option to 'Opt-out' of RE at any stage of thier schooling and either use the time to study or follow an alternate route.