British Humanist Association e-bulletin 24^th August 2009 

Escaping from Brazilian Tapirs

Our Campaigns Officer (Faith Schools and Education) Paul Pettinger, visited the “Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm” near Bristol earlier this summer. The zoo is widely promoted to school children, and Paul came back with disturbing photographic reconnaissance. One display board informs visitors that goats are members of the Bovidae family... and that their cloven hooves mean they’re biblically “clean”. 

Another sign lists “30 reasons why apes are not related to man”, such as, “Humans have added fat on the breasts and buttocks for beauty, neither of which are possessed by apes.” The assumption seems to be that in order for two species to be related they must also be completely identical! Another display explains, astoundingly, that Brazilian tapirs “are probably only related to other tapirs. They arrive in the fossil record at the same time as horses, with no evidence of any relatedness. They appear to be a separate Created kind.” (Actually Tapirus terrestris is in the order Perissodactyla and closely related to other odd-toed ungulates such as rhinos and, indeed, horses.) 

Suffice it to say, we’re lobbying the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums of which the zoo is a member, and the local authority which licenses them, to ensure that the zoo meets governmental educational guidelines... 

Meanwhile the 2008-9 Hemming Prize essay competition, sponsored by the BHA, the South Place Ethical Society and New Humanist magazine, came to a close last week as we awarded three deserving winners at a ceremony in London. We had set the open title, “In life the meaning comes in living” (a quote from the works of James Hemming) and received over 70 entries from A level students across the UK. The winner, Alex Mace, argued that “A meaningful life is one that has significance: one that has point, substance, purpose, quality, value, and direction.” 

When bodies with some responsibility to maintain educational standards are licensing and supporting organisations like the Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, these humanistic essays by young people on life and values were a breath of fresh air!

The British Humanist Association seeks action on Noah’s Ark Farm Zoo

The BHA has called on the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, North Somerset Council, Visit Britain and South West England to take action on Noah’s Ark Farm Zoo in North Somerset. The zoo, which promotes itself to schools, advances creationism and seeks to discredit a wide variety of established scientific facts that challenge their religious views, such as radio carbon dating, the fossil record and the speed of light! Read full story 

BHA in creationist zoo media storm

Several media outlets have run the story about the BHA questioning the value that a creationist zoo near Bristol can bring to education. The BHA is concerned that the zoo, which markets itself to local schools as fitting in with the science curriculum, is misinforming those who visit by having statements influenced by religion rather than natural science on the information boards at the animal enclosures and elsewhere.

The BBC, local new programme Points West, the Telegraph, the Guardian, the Independent and several online newspapers and blogs picked up on the story and the BHA has already spoken to several people who have visited the zoo and want to support our campaign. 

We will let you have more news on this story as it develops. In the meantime, you can take action on the teaching of evolution in schools here.

BHA urges Government not to permit religions to opt-out from race equality law

We have written to Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP, Minister for Equality, and Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, seeking a commitment from the Government that it will not permit Jewish organisations and schools to discriminate on grounds of ethnicity. In June the Court of Appeal found the admissions criteria of the Jewish Free School (JFS) in breach of the Race Relations Act 1976 (RRA), as it was clear that the entry criteria was based not on religious practice or faith but on ethnicity. Following that judgment, it has been reported that some Jewish representatives are seeking to have the Equality Bill amended in order to permit ethnic discrimination by Jewish organisations.

Read full story

BNP Membership http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8218397.stm

http://bnp.org.uk/2009/08/uk-baby-boom-the-result-of-mass-third-world-immigration/

Romanticism: Meddling in 'other countries affairs' - GB / UK the expensive and bilious hang-over from having an Empire. 

The birth of the Enlightenment vs. Romanticism. A reaction to the stark facts of the Enlightenment was Romanticism A.C.Grayling. The dangerous forms of romanticism in times of war, social and economic upheaval. When only a very few, today - with the New Enlightenment, really believe, or have some faith in, any particular religion or religious dogma. Have we only got some religion, or a personal faith, in or outside, our schools and institutions, because of Romanticism, and in the being somewhat personally having a romantic tendency. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._C._Grayling Ref, Infantile Romantic Situation UK. The Infantile and Romantic Situation GB. 

We received a petition asking:

“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to commission a review of the law on Religious Education, with a view to reforming them.”

Details of Petition:

“The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published new guidance on RE, which reaffirms the current status quo in RE in English schools. Many people hoped that the new guidance would act instead to bring real changes in RE which would take account of the changed social and educational context in which RE is now taught. Whatever they believe about how RE should be reformed, many people now believe that the law on RE should be at least reviewed, in order that these outdated laws (which have remained unchanged while the rest of the curriculum has been reformed) should be considered with fresh eyes. Please sign this petition to call for such a review!.”

· Read the petition
· Petitions homepage

Read the Government’s response:

In April the Department for Children Schools and Families requested the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency run a consultation exercise on non-statutory guidance for teaching RE in maintained schools.

This exercise was part of the broader Primary Curriculum review and the consultation ran from 30 April to 24 July. The new guidance, currently in draft form, updates the previous guidance on teaching RE contained in Circular 1/94. The draft guidance has been revised in light of subsequent social, educational and legal changes. Once all responses to the consultation have been analysed and considered, a final version of the revised guidance will be published in autumn.

However, we have no plans at present to reform or review legislation as it currently stands with regard to teaching RE in maintained schools.

Self help and the new age.