Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds

Background to the Open Letter

“Don’t back down on LGBT guidance, faith leaders urge DfE” reported the Guardian on Monday 11th February alongside a letter it published (organised by Humanists UK, the Sex Ed Forum and the Accord Coalition) where “56 members or leaders of religion and belief groups, educationists, campaigners and school leaders warn the Department for Education against any dilution of LGBT advice in the independent school standards.”

The accompanying article, in the Guardian, cited a number of independent cases where Christians, Jews and Muslims were all challenging local schools or the Department for Education regarding the threat to basic religious freedoms. However, Andrew Copson, CEO of Humanists UK, was quoted as saying: “There is widespread support for LGBT inclusion in schools and it is imperative that LGBT lessons in independent schools are not diluted out of fear that it could offend some religious groups.”

The Values Foundation was clear that the letter and article warranted a response from representatives of the thousands of people of faith, and others, who are very concerned about the threat to human rights and religious freedom by proposed Government legislation and guidance. We drafted an Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds, as a response and very quickly gained over 140 signatures from UK religious leaders, educators, professionals and school leaders. The letter has been received by the DfE and was also submitted to the Guardian for publication each day for a period of three days. Unfortunately the Guardian took the decision not to publish the letter. It is now hoped the letter will be published in another national daily newspaper.

The Open Letter is shown below along with the signatories:

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE DAMIAN HINDS MP

As UK religious leaders, educators, professionals and school leaders from across the spectrum of faith and many disciplines, we are extremely concerned that the internationally recognised rights of parents to educate their children according to their own religious or philosophical beliefs are being compromised by proposed government legislation. This legislation would require every school without exception to teach concepts and values that are completely alien to the great world religions and to the traditional inherited values of this country.

It is completely legitimate for the state to take action to ensure that children are not educated to act in a way that threatens the freedom of society. But it is not legitimate for the state to impose an alien world-view and value system on children against the wishes of the parents.

The European Convention of Human rights clearly states:

“In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.”

We urge the Secretary of State to ensure that all children are supported and allowed to thrive through education that allows the diverse religious and cultural groups that make up this country to teach in line with the tenets of their faith and traditions while respecting the rights of others to choose differently.

Edmund Matyjaszek, Principal, Priory School of Our Lady of Walsingham
Dr Lisa Nolland, Convenor, Marriage, Sex and Culture Group, Anglican Mainstream
Revd Lynda Rose, CEO, Voice for Justice UK; Joint Convenor, The Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group; ParentPower
Louise Kirk, UK Co-ordinator of Alive to the World PSHE programme
Robert Harris, Strategy Director, Voice for Justice UK; Joint Convenor, The Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group
Judith Nemeth, Director, The Values Foundation for Faith and Families in Education
Canon Dr Chris Sugden, Chairman, Anglican Mainstream
Raymond Stewart, Support 4 the Family
Dr A Majid Katme, Psychiatrist and Ex-President: Islamic Medical Association UK
Brian Gordon, Councillor, London Borough of Barnet, Exec Member Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
Rabbi Aaron Bassous, Beth Hamedrash Knesset Yehezkel
Dr Sheikh Ramzy, Islamic scholar, Imam of Oxford Brookes University, Director of Oxford Islamic information Centre, Director of Universal peace Federation, Director of Justice4Rhingya UK
Professor Geoffrey Alderman, Council Member & Official Historian of the Federation of Synagogues
Mr Yusuf Patel Founder SRE Islamic
Dr Linda Stalley, Christian leader and retired GP
David Pott, retired headteacher
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive, Christian Concern
The Rt Rev’d Dr Gavin Ashenden, (former chaplain to the Queen) and bishop of the Christian Episcopal Church
Nigel Steele, Director, The Values Foundation for Faith and Families in Education
Dr Liz Jones, Community Paediatrician (retired), Assistant Director Lovewise
David Kurten AM, London Assembly Member
Imam Suliman Gani
Dayan G. Krausz, formerly senior judge Jewish Ecclesiastical Court (Beth Din)
Rabbi Moshiach Kelaty, Rabbi of Stanmore Sephardi Community
Rabbi Akiva Adler, Head of Jewish School Consortium
Dr Leon Bernstein B.Ed (Hons); MA; PhD; NPQH teacher trainer and educational consultant
Imam Muzakkir Ali, Masjid-e-Hamza, Ashton-under-Lyne
Rabbi S Winegarten, Rabbinical Authority of Torah Temimah Primary School
Dr Julie Maxwell, Community Paediatrician
Jim Cockburn, retired secondary headteacher
Carl Bicknell, Pastor of Trinity Church Bristol
Chris Fry, Member of the Church of England General Synod
George Curry, Governor of a Secondary School, Wokingham, and of a Church of England Primary School, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Vicar of Elswick
Revd Corinne Brixton, Church of England
Clive Ireson, Director, Association of Christian Teachers
Rabbi Mordechai Rose, author of published works on Jewish thought
Rabbi Dovid C Cohn, Rabbi of North Hendon Adath Yisroel Synagogue and Rabbinical Judge, Beth Din of Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, Golders Green
Shaykh Ruzwan Mohammed, Muslim theologian, Co-founder of Solas foundation
Mufti Atiqur Rahman, Imam Werneth Jamia Masjid, MA RCS, Pastoral Care Worker, Director of Human Hope
Imam Mohammad Asif, Director of Human Hope, Trustee of Al Qamar Trust PGD
Moulana Aman Ullah, Head Teacher Werneth Jamia Masjid, Youth Worker
Abrarul Haq, imam, Blackburn
Imam Ghulam Rasool QTS PGCE, Tipton. Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust UK
Imam Ahmed, Masjid al-Khazra Nottingham
Talat Shaikh, Chairman MCEC, Palmers Green Mosque
Mrs M Gluck Early Years Teacher
Jack Frankel, Property Developer, The Edgewater Group
Joseph Kahan CeMAP, Director, Secure Finance Ltd
Pippa Smith, Co Chair, Working Party on the Family, Lords & Commons Family & Child Protection Group
Abubaker Hikmatulla: teacher of Islamic sciences B.A Hons
Mohammad Teladia, Imam & Islamic Judge, Reading, U.K
Imam Afzal, Chelmsford Central Mosque
Zafar Iqbl Khan
Mohammed Saleem, Council For European Halal Consumers
Razia Hadait, Himaya Haven
Rabbi Zvi Lebovics Principal of Beis Hamedrash Elyon (Boys Senior School) NW4
Kamran Younis – concerned parent
Imam Abdul Wahhab Headteacher and Trustee of Registered Charity Darul Atfaal
Zahid Hafeez, Manchester Islamic Educational Trust
Rabbi Dovid Tugendhaft, Rabbi of Nishmas Yisroel Community, Hendon
Rabbi Mordechai Nissim, Hon. Rabbi Kehilat Yacov, Hendon
Rabbi Dovid Roberts, Rabbi Kehillas Netzach Yisroel, Edgware
Rabbi Yitzchok Sandler, Edgware
Rabbi Gideon Schulman
Rabbi Yaacov Benzaquen, The Jewish Learning Exchange
Imam Mohammed Dilwar Hussain, Teacher & Chaplain
Shaykh Asif Mansoor Khan, Muslim Theologian and Teacher, QTS PGCE BA BSc. Jnt Hns
Shaykh Nizamuddin Hussein, Leicester International school.
Shaykh Mus’ab Panjwani, Rawdhah Academy, Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Rev Capt Richard Bache, School and ACF Chaplain and concerned parent
Rabbi Moishe Brandeis, JLE London
Rabbi Naftoli Lifschitz, MA Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation
Rabbi Yaakov Hamer, Finchley Federation Synagogue
Rabbi Yaakov Abrams, Loughton Federation Synagogue
Rabbi Shimmy Miller, Jewish Studies Teacher, Manchester Mesivta
Rabbi Adam Edwards, Project Seed
Rabbi Jonny Ross, Hendon
Saera Sulthana, early years practitioner
Ghulam Vohra Chair of Governors at Lyng Hall School, Coventry and Vice Chair of Governors at Eden Girls School, Coventry. Vice Chairman of Coventry Muslim Forum.
Dr. C.K.Tan, member of the Church of England General Synod
Rabbi Rashi Simon, Director, Kesher/The Learning Connection
Efe Oluwatosin, Parish Pastor, RCCG House of Joy for all Nations
Rev Dr John Nolland, Trinity College, Bristol
Dr Christopher Shell, Voice for Justice UK
Imam Irfan Chishti MBE, Chashtiah Educational Trust, Rochdale
Rabbi A Y Goldman, Dean of Darchei Torah Residential College
The Revd Melvin Tinker, Vicar, St John, Newland, Hull
Alan Craig, UKIP Spokesperson for Families & Children
Rabbi Mendel Sufrin, Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue Leeds
Dr Kevin Vaughan MB B Chir, retired GP
Sue Relf, Challenge Team UK
Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag, Rabbi Whitefield Hebrew Congregation, Manchester and Member of the Standing Committee, Conference of European Rabbis
Mr S Craimer, Governor, Beis Chinuch, Edgware
David Hughes, Constituency Association Chairman, UKIP
Roger Kiska, Legal Counsel, Christian Legal Centre
Rabbi Lawrence Littlestone, Federation of Synagogues
Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP, President of the Catholic Union of Great Britain
Mr Benny Groszman, Trustee, Chana Charity Ltd (1070196), Trustee, KefKids Ltd (1176298)
Imam Hafiz Mohammed Balal, Head, Jamia Madina Tul Islam Peterborough
Imam Sajid Patel, Scholar at Islamic Research Institute of GB
Shraga Stern, HM Prison Chaplain
The Rev Barry Morrison, Church of England Priest (retd)
Sheikh Muhammad Bahmanpour, Islamic Centre of England
Mark Burkill, Chairman of Church Society
Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society
Dr. Rainer Hermann Kurz, HCPC Reg. Psychologist; CPsychol.
The Revd Philip Seddon, retired Anglican theologian and clergyman
Sidney C Cordle MBE, Leader Christian Peoples Alliance
Arthur Cornell, Chairman, Family Education Trust
Eric Hester, retired headmaster of independent and maintained schools, and Lead Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspection Service
Timothy Vince, Director of Christian Education Europe
Dave Brennan, Director of Brephos
Mr Alexander Matyas, Lecturer
Rana Nazir, Director of British Kashmiri Women Council
Muhammad Uddin, Newham Muslim Forum
Asher Gratt, Translator
Abraham Wertzberger, Jewish counsellor BACP
Reverend Leisa Ebere, Christian UK Parents Arise
Lincoln Williams, Engineering Consultant & Company Director
Alison Williams, Former School Monitor & Magistrates Court Administration Supervision
Mrs Sara Craimer, Head of Studies at Shiras Devorah High School
Dr Israel M. Sandman, Senior Research Associate, UCL
Danny Stupple, Chair of Zion Projects
Rev’d Dr Jules Gomes BA BD MTh PhD (Cantab), Pastor, St Augustine’s Church
Rev’d Dr Nigel Scotland, Hon Research Fellow Religious Studies, University of Gloucestershire
Mr Jim Barratt and Mrs Jennie Barratt, concerned grandparents
Christine Fidler, former secondary school teacher, Image Training Coordinator
Dr Mohamud Hussein MB ChB, MSc Clinical Neuropsychiatric & General Forensic Practitioner at Forensic Healthcare Services, London
Mr B Hussain, Chairman of IslamicRSE
Bernard Iczkovits, Trustee & Co-Founder of The Minyan Synagogue & community centre, NW London
Mawlana Shahid Ali, Imam of Jamiyat Tabligh-ul-Islam Haworth Road Masjid, Bradford

Additional Signatures

If you are a representative of an organisation and would like to add your name to the version of the letter on this page, please write to: admin@values.foundation.