IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3June 2003
For the first time in five years, the Houseof Commons and House of Lords Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments ismeeting at 4.25 pm today (3 June) to look at proposed regulations which wouldallow the sacking of teachers at faith based schools simply because they aregay or lesbian.
The committee is to question officials fromthe Department for Trade and Industry on the proposal.
Doug McAvoy, NUT General Secretary, haswritten to the chairman of the committee, David Tredinnick MP, drawingattention to the implications for staff in faith schools, employing some100,000 teachers. (Letter attached)
The Government claims it is pro Europe butits claim seems little more than pretence. Here is another example of itseeking to water down the protection afforded by a European directive.
The Government is regulating for thesacking of teachers not on the basis of their professional capacity but becauseof their sexual orientation.
If this regulation passes into law and anymember of the National Union of Teachers is discriminated against as a result,the Union will have no hesitation in challenging the decision under humanrights legislatation.
E N D PR45.03
For further information contact: Olive Forsythe tel: 020 7380 4706 (office) 020 8313 1692 (weekdayevenings) or if all else fails on 07879 480061.