Member's statement: Religious Education in Schools: Supreme Court Ruling
Member's statement by Mr Gary Middleton on .
- MLA
- Mr Gary Middleton
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 24 November 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Religious Education in Schools: Supreme Court Ruling
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5253893
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise this afternoon to address the recent court judgement on religious education in our schools. Whilst we must, of course, take time to properly review the legal ruling with due care, I know that many people from a faith background are particularly anxious about its potential consequences. For generations, Christian values have shaped the moral character of our school and education system, whether that be through assemblies, school activities or, indeed, the everyday life of the classroom. Those values have helped to shape and form the young people whom we have today. That heritage is not something that we apologise for, nor is it something that we are prepared to see diminished.
When the Protestant Churches transferred their schools to the state, it was on the solemn understanding that a Christian ethos would be maintained not to indoctrinate but to guide our young people with values of love, integrity and service. To view that heritage as a source of bias or exclusion is to misunderstand the fabric of our community.
The court has called for education that is objective, critical and pluralistic. Let me be clear that we are not afraid of scrutiny or of our children understanding the world around them, but "pluralistic" must not become a byword for "secular". It must not be used as a tool to strip away the Christian character that so many parents actively choose for their children. We are glad that, at this time, we have a DUP Education Minister in place. He has already made it clear that, under his leadership, the Christian faith will continue to shape education in Northern Ireland. It is right that schools and governors have many questions about the ruling's implications and what they should do, and I welcome the fact that the Minister will, over the coming weeks, provide clear, legally sound guidance to schools in order to avoid confusion and to ensure a unified response. This party will not stand by and watch the ethos of many of our schools being dismantled. We will work to ensure that, in meeting our legal obligations, we do not abandon our moral ones. The Bible remains a book of wisdom, not unlawful harm. We will continue to stand up for an education system that reflects and respects all but apologises to none for its Christian roots.
389 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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