Scottish families have held a rally outside Holyrood, in opposition to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently passing through Westminster.
While the bill, if passed, will largely not take effect in Scotland, similar proposals have been recommend within the Scottish Parliament. Organisers of the rally said they wished “to send a transparent message to the Scottish Government regarding the importance of educational freedom and parental responsibility”.
The rally, which was organised by Christian education group Unite for Education, coincided with an analogous event held in London.
In Scotland, Green MSP Ross Greer has tabled amendments to Holyrood’s Schools Bill that largely mirror the necessities for home educators proposed within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The Scottish bill is currently at Stage 3 of the legislative process, although the amendments tabled by Greer are still in Stage 2.
Opponents of the proposed laws warn that they place an increased regulatory burden on home educators, potentially having a disproportionate effect on children with special educational needs (SEND).
Since the rally, the Labour government has announced a watering down of the necessities imposed by the bill, but concerns remain a few Conservative amendment that offers local authority officials, relatively than parents, the fitting to choose what’s within the “best interest” of a “child in need”.
Labour have identified that many children with disabilities are officially classed as being “in need” in order that they’ll access the support they require, meaning the amendment could disproportionately impact families with disabled children.
In an announcement, Unite for Education said, “This rally is just not the tip, it’s the start of something in Scotland. Parents will not be anti‑school. They are concerned. Concerns about what’s being taught, rising violence, identity confusion, and the increasing struggles facing young people, including mental health and suicide can’t be ignored. It is time for change, and together we are able to make that change.”
The group said that it might be sending a proper letter to the Scottish government outlining the concerns of oldsters concerning the proposed laws in Scotland.
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