The UK Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Christian religious education in Northern Ireland's schools is not delivered in an “objective, critical, and pluralistic” manner and violates human rights.
The case was brought by parents of a pupil at a public primary school in Belfast, who attended religious education classes, part of the school curriculum, between 2017 and 2021.
The parents, who are not Christians and do not adhere to any religious belief, argued that the school’s religious education contradicted their convictions. They opposed presenting Christianity to their daughter “as absolute truth,” according to documents submitted to the court.
The school responded that its religious teaching was “based on the Bible” and adhered to the UK curriculum.
In 2022, Belfast’s High Court sided with the parents, ruling that religious education in Northern Ireland schools was unlawful. However, this decision was overturned on appeal.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court overruled the Court of Appeal, stating it had misapplied the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Judge Ben Stephens ruled that the rights of the child and her parents had been violated.
The family strongly supports religious education, provided it does not resemble indoctrination, the judge emphasised.
