Scottish Catholic Observer

On the surface all is calm. But something is rising. For now the long political consensus that Catholic schools are good for pupils, teachers and parents holds. Yet SNP MEP Alyn Smith’s comments that freedom of religion must come second to equality in ‘all schools, without exception’ is a clear sign that there is now an attempt to break that consensus.

Let us be clear, much about the Time for Inclusive Education campaign against homophobic bullying in schools is laudable.

No one in a Catholic school should face bullying because of their sexuality, or for any other reason. This is an area where, in the past, Catholic education has not always covered itself in glory. Although there have been substantial improvements in this area, more remains to be done. And it should be done. There is nothing Catholic about cruelty, in any circumstances. We should all be willing to do what needs to be done to eradicate bullying of all forms. It’s to the credit of the Church that it has signalled it is willing to ensure ‘all teachers have adequate knowledge, understanding and training and feel confident in addressing all aspects of relationships education, including LGBTI matters, in an appropriate and sensitive way’.

Yet there are things the Church cannot change and remain the Church. If Catholic schools are to be forced to go against Church teaching they will not remain Catholic.

For all that the desire to end homophobic bullying that inspires the TIE campaign is laudable, it’s hard to avoid the suspicion that some of those supporting it see it as a Trojan horse to end Catholic education in Scotland.

That would be a grave error. Scotland is now a majority secular country. Like any minority, the rights of Catholics and indeed Christians exist on the whim of the majority.

While not equating it to bullying suffered by LGBT adolescents, parents of Christian pupils in non-denominational schools increasingly report their kids being tormented for their faith.

The more secular Scotland gets, the more unusual religion becomes, the more likely it is that children of faith become the subject of bullying for being different. And this is the environment secularists would dump thousands of Scottish Catholic kids into.

Scotland’s secular elite may not like religion. They may wish it did not exist. But while it does they have a duty to care for every minority in this country. The continued existence of Catholic schools is a way to ensure both freedom of religion and equality are respected in Scotland.